Collin Barber focused on keeping starting punting job

ATHENS, Ga. -- Collin Barber is tired of being beat.

During his past two seasons, Georgia's starting punter, on scholarship, was benched for former walk-on Adam Erickson. Each instance was due to performance-related issues, which didn't sit well with Barber but wasn't something he necessarily went out of his way to correct.

However, the final straw came during this year's spring game, when Barber put in a shaky performance that left some doubt as to whether he'd be Georgia's starting punter to open the 2015 season.

He'd had enough. It was finally time to do something about it.

"When reporters get in your face after a game (and ask) why is this happening, why aren't you doing good here, why is a walk-on beating you out -- hearing that junk, I don't want to hear it again," Barber said. "That's why I got that mentality that I'm not going to give anyone a chance. Hopefully, I can show out this year."

Barber's 2013 season started off well until he had a mid-season concussion against

Tennessee. Barber said he coasted through the motions from that point, although the lingering effects from the head injury could have played a part.

The following offseason, Barber didn't work out with his personal punting coach Marc Nolan for the first time since his sophomore year of high school. He didn't necessarily place the proper balance with his athletic pursuits and social life that Nolan would have liked, which was part of the reason Barber finished the 2014 season with a punt average of just 39.3 yards.

A herniated disk in his lower back didn't help either. Barber said the pain would become unbearable if he was sitting in a car for more than an hour. Sometimes when he'd kick, pain would shoot down his sciatic nerve and make matters difficult. With his back bothersome, Barber checked out mentally. Those two factors led to his dismal season.

"It was a combination of (the back injury) and not working as hard as I should have, letting myself go and not pushing myself like I should have," Barber said.

This offseason, Barber got back with Nolan, who told him this year was his last shot. Barber could put the past behind him and start anew or let the outside pressures continue to get in the way of the success he hoped to accomplish when he signed his National Letter of Intent with the Bulldogs in 2012.

"What I said to him, if you're sitting on the sideline there's no way you're getting to the NFL," Nolan said.

"That did shock him. They don't give NFL contracts that get beat out to a walk-on or guys who are second string. He really did take that heart."

During the summers and on weekends during the preseason, Barber and Nolan, who resides in Woodstock, would meet in Gwinnett County during morning hours to work on his craft. On weekdays, Barber would make the drive from Athens to put in a three-hour session in the morning before driving back to attend class.

Nolan helped change Barber's steps, stroke and how he's going through the ball technique wise. Nolan also had Barber spend time on kickoffs, which could give Georgia the option of making him Marshall Morgan's backup and save a spot for a non-specialist on the 70-man travel roster.

"He feels very healthy," Richt said. "He's in good spirits. He's punting very well, and he's kicked off very well."

With his job on the line, Barber has answered the call thus far. His punts in practice have become more consistent. When he'd hit the weight room, Barber would shout to himself that someone is trying to outwork him and take his spot.

Barber, a top-10 recruit as his position four years ago, knows he has the talent to be among the best punters in the country. In his final year, Barber's searching for the kind of consistency that will finally prove his billing.

"This is my last go-around," Barber said. "The last thing I want to do is sit here and regret not busting my butt for my last season. I definitely got a much better mentality coming in, just mentally and physically in a better state."

This story was originally published August 29, 2015 at 9:18 PM with the headline "Collin Barber focused on keeping starting punting job ."