Dynamite Dozen: Mitchell County’s Malik Barnes a quarterback of the defense

CAMILLA — Mitchell County’s defense liked to drop the double whammy on opponents last year.

If Anthony McIntyre didn’t get to the ball, Malik Barnes did. Few opponents got past both.

The inside linebacker duo combined to average almost 24 tackles per game last year, with both averaging in double-figures. They led a defense that allowed just 133 points last year, including shutout performances in the final three games of the regular season.

“They played together since Pop Warner,” Mitchell County head coach Deshon Brock said. “That chemistry, that camaraderie, they’re like brothers. They were always on the same page.”

With McIntyre graduating, Barnes takes over as the quarterback of the defense. And he feels right at home.

A 5-foot-11, 230-pound senior, Barnes is a 2018 Albany Herald Dynamite Dozen selection.

If it seems as if Barnes might be a coach on the field, it’s no accident. Barnes is looking to go into teaching and coaching once his playing days are over, and he’s taking early enrollment college classes to help him get there.

“He’s the leader of our defense,” Brock said. “We’re going to rely on him heavily. He’s going to have to make all of the checks. Last year he shared that responsibility with McIntyre, this year it’s going to be on his shoulders to make the checks in and out of the coverages. Any bad situation they’re in, it’s up to him to check out of it and get into a better situation.”

Last year, a lot of the checks Barnes and McIntyre made worked.

Mitchell County rolled off 10 straight wins last year following a season-opening loss to Dougherty. The Eagles reached the quarterfinals for the first time in 18 years, edging Schley County 22-21 in the second round.

“We fed off each other,” Barnes said. “We helped each other out a lot.”

There is, of course, the desire to do more. Clinch County ended Mitchell County’s season each of the past two years. There’s also the long-standing rivalry with neighboring Pelham, a rivalry that has determined the GHSA Region 1-1A title each of the past two years (Pelham won two years ago, while Mitchell County won last year).

Barnes will be right in the middle of Mitchell County’s efforts.

“You have to be a leader in order to (play middle linebacker),” Barnes said. “To be a leader, you have to have a great personality, you have to know all of the plays, you’ve got to know how to talk to your team, know how to build them up and get their energy up when they get down. You have to set a good example.”