Van Buren QB Jordan Barlow talks Memphis camp and upcoming camp schedule

When we last caught up with “Triple-Threat”, a.k.a. Jordan Barlow, in early May the Van Buren High School quarterback was getting looks from teams both near and far. Teams like Louisville, Marshall, North Texas, Pennsylvania, Princeton, Stetson, Davidson, Bucknell, and in-state power Arkansas. Now the college one-day camp circuit has begun and the All-Conference signal caller is ready to shift interests into scholarship offers.

In 2014 Barlow was named All-Conference after throwing for a school record 2,500-plus yards with 22 touchdowns. The Arkansas talent already has college coaches’ attention with his arm and his ACT score, 31. During the college camp circuit every high school player in the nation has to be ready to step their game up, and that is just what Barlow has already started doing.

In a Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview we caught up with Jordan after camping at University of Memphis and caught up on his camp schedule for the rest of June.

 

Jordan, how did the Memphis camp go for you?

“For the quarterback position there were eight of us and only two of us were seniors. It was great. We started off doing typical combine drills, 40’s, agility drills stuff like that. Then we did agility drills through bags and then they broke us up into positions. The way they did it everybody except for only quarterbacks, everybody else went to a defensive position and then they went through drills. About six of the quarterbacks were throwing. After 20-30 minutes everybody flipped and then went to an offensive position.

“We cranked it up a little bit. I started throwing routes on air to the running backs and receivers. Then we finished off doing one-on-ones.”

How well did you throw during the camp? Were you just on, was everything on a rope, were you throwing darts, fill me in.

“First off I felt really confident throwing the ball. Memphis had some great athletes, they had some big athletes from big schools. I was hooking up with a lot of my receivers and connecting on routes. I was putting the ball right where it needed to be with some zip on it. A big bonus for my confidence, the very last throw of the camp they had the best receiver on the best defensive back. It was a fade route, the kid caught the ball right over his shoulder in the end zone. The head coach for Memphis (Justin Fuente) made a big deal about that one. He really liked that.”

Did they hand out any camp honors? Did you get top quarterback at their camp?

“They did not hand out camp honors.”

How did the camp end for you with Memphis?

“Everybody went and talked to their coaches. All the quarterbacks went and talked to the quarterback coach (Brad Cornelsen). I talked to Coach Cornelsen for about 5-10 minutes. He was talking about a few things from the camp. He talked about a few things he wanted to see me fix.

“Then I went to go talk to their recruiting coordinator for our area, Coach (James) Shibest. He’s also their tight ends coach. He gave me and Andrew Clark (Fort Smith), a card with name, email, phone number, everything like that. He said they have camps all week this week and at the end of the week they’re all going to sit down as a staff and evaluate all the players. I should be hearing back from him in the next few days or so giving me their evaluation of me.”

Now when you talked to Coach Shibest did he tell you what a good receiver he was for the Hogs back in the day?

“No, but my dad sure did not mind bragging on him. My dad is a big fan of him.”

He had great hands, that is for sure.

“That’s what I’ve heard. I heard he could play some football.”

Did you get to tour the Memphis campus at all?

“Yeah, after the camp six to eight of us went on a tour. We went through the weight room which is about 13,000 square feet. It was really big. Then we went through their team meeting room, through their locker room, and then we saw their big video that they have set up to show the recruits. They also have a recruiting lobby for when you come visit for a game or any unofficial visit, we got to go through that as well.”

Who were the other recruits that went on the tour with you?

“The only other kids that I knew was Andrew (Clark) and Tobias Enlow from North Little Rock.”

What is your next camp?

“I go to Southeast Missouri on Friday and then Southern Illinois on Saturday.”

What is the rest of your month like with camps?

“Basically the entire month of June I’ll be at a camp. After Saturday and Sunday I have UCA (Central Arkansas) in the morning and Ouachita’s camp in the afternoon. Arkansas State the day after that. I have two other camps then a camp on June 19 and then I go on vacation on the 20th.”

Have there been any new recruiting interests since we talked last?

“Just a little bit, I’ve talked a little bit more to some of the same schools I’ve already been talking to. They’re all ready to see me in camp. I had not talked to Memphis that much leading up to this camp. I look forward to hearing back from them but that’s about it.”

 

Written by Ryan Wright

Photo credit: