Michael Barton in his second season in a quality control role with Cal's special teams in 2022. The native of nearby Richmond, Calif., Barton returned to Cal in March of 2021 after haivng played collegiately as a linebacker for the Golden Bears from 2012-15. After graduating from Cal in May of 2016, Barton played a final collegiate season for Arizona as a graduate transfer in 2016. After spending one year working in commerical real estate in the Bay Area, Barton returned to college football at Fresno State in March of 2018 and worked with the Bulldogs and former Cal head coach Jeff Tedford for three seasons on the defensive side of the ball both in quality control (2018-20) and for his final two seasons with the Bulldogs as a graduate assistant with the defensive line.
Coaching Career
California: Quality Control, Special Teams (2021-Present)
— Special teams units put up strong numbers in his first season on the football staff at Cal in 2021 with the Bears leading the Pac-12 and ranking fourth nationally in kickoff returns with a school-record average of 29.06 yards per return, while the Bears were also third in the conference in kick return coverage (20.18 ypr), and shared the Pac-12 lead while ranking tied for 29th nationally with two blocked kicks (both punts)
— Special teams unit featured kick returner Nikko Remigio, Nick Alftin, kicker Dario Longhetto and punter Jamieson Sheahan
— Remigio brought back all 17 of the team's kick returns for 494 yards including a 99-yard touchdown, was second in the Pac-12 and 11th nationally with his 29.06 average the fifth-best in school history
— Afltin earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 recoginition as a special teams player and had both of the team's blocked punts to share the Pac-12 lead while ranking tied for second nationally
— Longhetto missed only three kicks all season and only one over his final seven games, going 11-of-14 on field goals while making nine of his last 10 attempts and hitting on all 31 of his extra-point tries
— Sheahan improved his punting average from 39.9 in his first season of American football in 2020 to a 43.1 output that is ninth on Cal's all-time single-season list with his 42.1 career average seventh on Cal's career list.
Fresno State: Quality Control, Defense (2018-20); Graduate Assistant, Defensive Line (2019-20)
— His first team as a member of the Fresno State staff finished with a 12-2 overall that marked the most victories in school history, won the Mountain West Conference Championship with a win over No. 19 Boise State in the title game and defeated Arizona State of the Pac-12 in the Las Vegas Bowl while finishing No. 18 in the final AP Top 25
— Led the nation in red zone defense (.654) in 2018 by allowing only 12 touchdowns and 17 scores in 26 red zone trips by their opponents, while also ranking second nationally in defensive TD's (7), third in scoring defense (14.1 ppg), fourth in interceptions (19), tied for 11th in turnovers gained (26) and 17th in total defense (321.6 ypg)
— Ranked third nationally and paced the Mountain West Conference with 4.17 sacks per game in 2020, while ranking tied for 17th in tackles for loss (7.5)
Collegiate Playing Career: Cal (2012-15); Arizona (2016)
— Played in a combined 43 career collegiate games during his three seasons on the field at Cal after registering as a 2012 true freshman and one with Arizona
— Registered career totals of 234 tackles, 24.5 tackles for loss (-71 yards), 6.5 sacks (-32 yards), one interception, five passes defensed, four pass breakups, one fumble recovery and two quarterback hurries
— Played on a squad as a 2015 junior that finished 8-5 overall including a 5-0 start, reached as high as No. 20 in the AP Top 25 and was victorious at the Armed Forces Bowl
— Played in a career-high all 12 games and had a career-high and team-leading 80 tackles while also pacing the squad with 7.5 tackles for loss (-16 yards) to go along with 1.5 sacks (-8 yards) as a 2014 sophomore
— Had a career-high 3.0 sacks (career-high -13 yards) and career-high-tying 8.0 tackles for loss (career-high -28 yards) as a 2016 senior
— Also posted a career-high-tying 8.0 tackles for loss (-26 yards) as a 2013 redshirt freshman (-26 yards)
Michael Barton File
Birthdate:Â August 27, 1994
Hometown:Â Richmond, CA
High School:Â De La Salle HS
College:Â California, 2016, BA, American Studies; Fresno State, 2020, MA, Education
Family: Girlfriend – Vanice Robinson; Son – Cassius Barton
Michael Barton Football Staff History
Season: Team – Coaching Position (Postseason, Champions)
2018: Fresno State – Quality Control, Defense (Las Vegas Bowl, MWC Champion, MWC West Division Champion)
2019: Fresno State – Quality Control, Defense; Graduate Assistant, Defensive Line
2020: Fresno State – Quality Control, Defense; Graduate Assistant, Defensive Line
2021: Cal – Quality Control, Special Teams
Last Updated
March 28, 2022
