Clark Gets Potential Star At Linebacker (DN-R)

The Daily News-Record - by Brent Johnson

BRIDGEWATER — Two years ago, Bridgewater College football coach Michael Clark didn’t think he could convince Stanley Barbour to play for the Eagles.

The kid just had too much talent for a Division III program.

But after a postgraduate season at Fork Union Military Academy in 2005, Barbour’s football career stalled. The former Waynesboro High School star left school and ended up working at Home Depot.

Football, however, was always on his mind.

"There was still that ‘what if?"’ the 19-year-old Barbour said Tuesday. "I was still under 20. I had years ahead of me. You never know."

So, he contacted the one school that never stopped calling him: BC.

"They never got quiet on me," Barbour said.

And now, he’s paying them back. Barbour, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound linebacker, said Tuesday that he has committed to play for the Eagles, beginning this fall.

Although Barbour has been out of football for a year and a half, Clark calls him one of the highlights of this season’s recruiting class.

Clark said he will likely play Barbour at outside linebacker, but he could easily move him to defensive end — the position Barbour played at Waynesboro. Clark wouldn’t say whether Barbour would start.

John Shuman, the postgraduate football coach at Fork Union, said Barbour could be "the next Bridgewater All-American."

"He’s one of the best players I’ve ever been around," Shuman said via phone. "He’s an impact player. He makes a lot of plays.

"We’re glad he’s at BC. We’re sad he didn’t get a good bite out of Fork Union, either from a I-A or I-AA school. But we’re glad he’s persevered."

It just took BC a while to land him.

Barbour played defensive end and tight end for Waynesboro, earning All-Valley District honors his senior season. He also was all-district in track, running the 110-meter high hurdles and 200-meter dash and throwing the shot put and discus.

After high school, Barbour attended Fork Union to focus on improving his academics. The school moved him to outside linebacker and started him most games, Barbour said.

Shuman said Barbour had the ability to play for a Division I school, but Fork Union was slow to send out Barbour’s highlight reel and he didn’t begin drawing interest until the season ended that winter. By that point, Shuman said, a lot of players had committed right out of high school and many colleges had already filled their spots.

"Somebody in-state should have [picked him up]," Shuman said.

Barbour said smaller schools like Charleston and Emory & Henry showed interest, as did Temple, long a Division I-A doormat.

Temple, Barbour said, wanted him to come to the school for the spring of 2006 and try out for the team. The Owls said they would then offer him a scholarship if they liked saw, Barbour said.

"But when I looked at that, it didn’t really sound good to me," Barbour said by phone from his home in Waynesboro. "… It was like being led in blind."

So, Barbour took some time off and got a job cutting meat at Kroger in Waynesboro. He then landed a job at the Waynesboro Home Depot, where he’s still a cashier.

Barbour said Temple stayed in contact from time to time over the next year, but Bridgewater offensive line coach Stephon Healey called often to check up on him.

Then, in February, Barbour called Clark. Still, he didn’t commit until July because Barbour said he still hadn’t made up his mind about whether returning to football is what he really wanted.

Now, Barbour has to readjust to life as a football player — though he said he’s confident he can.

"I’ve stayed in shape," Barbour said. "I haven’t gotten sloppy. I won’t allow that. …

"But we’ll have to wait until camp to see. That’s when I’ll really prove it."

At least BC finally got him.

"It’s the old analogy: Division III football isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon," Clark said. "And it’s been a long race."