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Two Oklahoma LBs enter transfer portal

Linebackers Robert Barnes and Jon-Michael Terry will move on as graduate transfers

John E. Hoover

Robert Barnes (20) and Tre Norwood
Robert Barnes (20) and Tre Norwood / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Just days after center Creed Humphrey declared for the NFL Draft and hours after offensive tackle Adrian Ealy and defensive back Tre Norwood did the same, Oklahoma reportedly has lost two players to the transfer portal.

Linebacker Jon-Michael Terry and safety/linebacker Robert Barnes both entered the portal Saturday evening, per multiple reports.

Rivals reported that Terry — a 6-foot-3, 245-pound fifth-year senior from Tulsa — has entered the transfer portal as a graduate transfer. Terry had 51 tackles, 5.5 TFL and 1.5 sacks during his career at Oklahoma, including 22 tackles during his senior season.

Rivals also reported shortly after that Barnes — 6-2, 232-pound fourth-year junior from Southlake, TX — entered the portal as well. Barnes was a starting safety in 2018, got injured, moved to linebacker this season and played a reserve role, although he made contributions down the stretch, including the 2020 season finale against Baylor.

Terry was projected as a starter at rush linebacker in 2019 before a preseason leg injury. That allowed Nik Bonitto to emerge, and Bonitto became an All-American this season.

Terry was projected to provide depth at the position and versatility at other linebacker spots if he chose to return to OU in 2021.

Teammates and coaches applauded Barnes’ readiness to switch positions in OU’s Dec. 5 game against Baylor after he had switched from safety to linebacker last season and then, because of a run of COVID numbers, was asked to switch back the week of the Bears game. He started for the first time since the 2018 Orange Bowl and contributed key plays.

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John E. Hoover
JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.

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