Coach Reggie Barlow has hit the ground running in his first year as a head coach in the XFL. The D.C. Defenders are 6-0 and atop the XFL North standing under his young leadership.
Reggie Barlow is now a name buzzing around the XFL, but he has been a legend in black college football. Coach Barlow appeared on ESPN’s First Take recently and credited his current coaching success to his HBCU roots.
“I am who I am because of HBCU, because of Alabama State giving me an opportunity to come there to play college football,” Coach Barlow explained on the show. “Also giving me the opportunity to come back and be the head coach. I learned so much from Alabama State, that experience, and then I was able to go on to Virginia State, which is a fine university that gave me an opportunity to continue to be a better coach, to continue to learn my craft.”
Barlow spent several seasons coaching at HBCU programs including Virginia State University and Alabama State. Barlow became the head coach at Virginia State in 2016 after beginning his coaching career at his alma mater Alabama State. The Trojans held a 34-15 record under Barlow and won the CIAA championship in 2017 after going undefeated for the first time in history.
“As I mentioned, I am who I am because of HBCUs. They’ve been outstanding to me, and I’m grateful for them.”