2023 Football Roster
Jersey Number 8
Tarique Barnes
- Position:
- LB
- Class:
- Senior
- Height:
- 6-1
- Weight:
- 230
- Hometown:
- Memphis, Tenn.
- High School:
- Cordova
 2022 All-Big Ten |
2023 Senior
- Team captain
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Played in 10 games with six starts at linebacker
- Recorded a sack and tied a career high with two tackles for loss vs. Toledo (9/2/23)
2022 Junior
- Team captain
- All-Big Ten honorable mention (coaches and media)
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Started all 13 games at linebacker
- 46 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, two pass breakups, and one quarterback hurry on the season
- Sixth on the team in tackles (46)
- Third on the team in TFLs (8.5)
- Illinois’ Paul and Tiz Bresee/Illini FamILLy Award winner
2021 Sophomore
- Phil Steele All-Big Ten fourth team
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Played in all 12 games with 10 starts
- 80 tackles, 6.0 TFLs, 2.0 sacks, one interception, five pass breakups, and two forced fumbles on the season
- Tied for the team lead with two forced fumbles
- Second on the team with 80 tackles
- Third on the team with 44 solo tackles
- Tied for third on the team with five pass breakups
- Fourth on the team with 6.0 TFLs
- Tied for fifth on the team with 2.0 sacks
- 23rd in the Big Ten in tackles per game (6.6)
- One interception returned for six yards, eight tackles and 0.5 TFL in Illinois' road win over No. 20 Minnesota 11/6/21
- One forced fumble and career high 12 tackles vs. Wisconsin 10/9/21
- Five tackles, 0.5 TFL and a pass breakup against Charlotte 10/2/21
- Five tackles and 1.0 sacks at Purdue 9/25/21
- Team-high 11 tackles against UTSA 9/4/21
2020 Sophomore
- Played in five games and started two at linebacker
- Missed the last three games of the season with a leg injury
- 25 tackles, 1.5 TFL, one sack, one interception, one fumble recovery on the season
- First career interception at Nebraska 11/21/20
- Made first career start at Rutgers 11/14/20
- First career fumble recovery, touchdown, and sack at Wisconsin 10/23/20
- One of two Big Ten players since 2000 to have 10 tackles, a sack, and a fumble recovery for a TD in a game (Tavon Wilson, Illinois, 2011 at Indiana)
- First career interception at Nebraska, 11/21/20
- University of Illinois Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
2019 Freshman
- Played in all 13 games, primarily on special teams
- 13 tackles, one forced fumble on the season
- Tied for the team lead in kickoff tackles (4)
- Second on the team in special teams tackles (8)
- Second on the team in punt return tackles (4)
- Career-high four tackles at Michigan State 11/9/19 to help Illinois win 37-34 in the biggest comeback in program history
- First career forced fumble at UConn 9/7/19 on kickoff coverage
- Made Illinois debut in the season opener against Akron
High School
- Played for head coach Marcus Wimberly at Cordova
- Led Cordova to the 2017 Tennessee 4A state title
- Also wrestled and participated in track and field in high school
- Principals List
- Honor Roll
Personal
- Born Nov. 23, 2000
- Son of Darlene Shinault and Melvin Barnes
- Four brothers, Tyler, Justyn, Meltavious, and Darrion
- Picked Illinois because, “I felt that it would give me a good opportunity to grow and excel after college.”
- Majoring in advertising
Illinois Football | Bret Bielema Press Conference 3/5/26
Thursday, March 05
Illinois Football | Bobby Hauck Introductory Press Conference 2/12/26
Thursday, February 12
Illinois Football | Bret Bielema Press Conference 2/4/26
Thursday, February 05
Illinois Football | Xavier Scott Return Announcement Press Conference Press Conference 1/21/26
Wednesday, January 21
