Derrick Barnes' sacks come via late-night YouTube study
Like any person of the millennial generation, Derrick Barnes needed to learn something quickly and found a needed tutorial on YouTube.
The sophomore linebacker, who's now playing a role at Purdue's Leo defensive end position, as well, was told at the beginning of last week by the coaching staff he would be featured primarily as a pass-rusher against Boston College. Beyond periodic linebacker blitzes, Barnes had never been asked to play near the line of scrimmage consistently and wasn't sure he had the skills to handle such a responsibility. So, he typed "pass rushers" into YouTube and found some techniques and highlights of Denver Broncos star Von Miller that he could replicate while continuing to learn the fundamentals of the position on the Purdue practice field.
Barnes now believes you can learn how to do the basics of anything on YouTube.
"The two sacks I had (Saturday) were off moves in the videos I watched," Barnes said. "I actually thought about them in the game and decided, 'OK, let me try a couple of these' and they worked."
Barnes gave up his pre-game ritual immediately when Purdue linebacker Markus Bailey asked him how he picked up these techniques so quickly.
"Before the game in the locker room, Coach (Eron Hodges) came up to me and said, 'Watch these videos' and they were pass rush (YouTube) videos of Von Miller," Barnes said. "I'd already been watching them. Markus Bailey said he'd never seen somebody do (a swat-down move on a blocker's hands) before and asked me how I learned that. I told him I watched a YouTube video and tried it."
Purdue defensive coordinator Nick Holt has been teasing using Barnes at the Leo spot since the beginning of preseason camp but didn't want to overload the first-time starter with too much responsibility as it was likely he'd be a starter at linebacker as well. At the end of September and with Barnes leading the Boilermakers with three sacks, that hesitation has been overtaken by a desperate need for a consistent pass rush. Purdue fans can expect No. 55 to be lined up in Holt's defense more as a defensive end rushing the passer in future games, it would appear.
"We've known all this and the more reps we get him at that (Leo) position, the better he'll be," Holt said. "We've got to do it. We've got to use him more there at that position because maybe he makes more of a difference there than even at inside linebacker."
Barnes said after Wednesday's practice that rushing off the edge, similar to his responsibility against Boston College, gives him less to think about regarding assignments and allows him to play fast and confident as a second-year player.
"Playing Leo is definitely easier for me because you've got one key. Either I'm getting the running back or going after the quarterback."
Reggie Johnson, who coached former NFL picks Elvis Dumervil and Amobi Okoye at Louisville, said he's not surprised at how Barnes has taken well to the rush end spot because of his natural skill set.
"Derrick has some tools that help us out regarding his speed, some natural wiggle," Johnson said. "He works at it but he has some natural ability. We watch these guys every day and you see what they can do. You could see in specific drills that he can provide that extra push we need to get to the quarterback."
In the 30-13 win last weekend, Purdue's defensive line accounted for two sacks and two interceptions off batted passes at the line of scrimmage. Holt said Wednesday he was impressed with the level of development achieved by Anthony Watts and Kai Higgins that translated in highlight-reel moments on the field Saturday.
"This group is doing a great job on game savvy each and every week," Holt said. "As kids work hard and you guys come out here and see they're working their butts off, it's starting to pay dividends."
When asked if he saw defensive end as a permanent position for himself as a 240-pounder, Barnes was unsure but told Holt he was ready to embrace the new challenge to help a struggling Purdue pass rush.
"I told Coach Holt that I'd do whatever he wants me to do whether that's rushing off the edge or playing linebacker," Barnes said.
Barnes will just have to make sure if he's given a new job that he has a strong Internet connection.
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