BECOMING AN ARMY
8/10/2023 1:47:00 PM | Football
Barrington brothers helping Baylor O-line 'mesh together'
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
In the spring, when they both transferred from BYU to Baylor, brothers Clark and Campbell Barrington had to feel at least a little bit like mercenaries.
Seven months later, they've joined converted tackles Gavin Byers and Tate Williams and a fifth-year senior with limited game action (Elijah Ellis) to form a bonded five-man unit.
"I think it's the difference between mercenaries and an army that's really come together and they're fighting for one common goal," said Byers, who has made 16 career starts at right tackle.
"When you have an offensive line that meshes together, you're going to get an offensive line that's playing for each other, that's playing for the team. They're not playing for their own individual outputs. But I think if you have a team that's just playing individually, the communication is not going be as good and they're just not going to be as good overall."
With the Barrington brothers transferring in, Byers and Williams swapping positions and a group of redshirt freshmen "young freaks" trying to get their footing, Clark Barrington said in the spring "it was a whole new bunch of guys trying to just go out there, figure it out and see what we can make happen."
"Right now, we've come together through time, through practice," Clark said, "and I think you can really see that out on the field."
After losing a trio of sixth-year seniors and a four-year starter at left tackle, along with 10-game starter Micah Mazzccua transferring to Florida, offensive line coach Eric Mateos shuffled the lineup throughout the spring until he found the right combination.
Clark Barrington, who made 37-consecutive starts at left guard at BYU, had never played center before Mateos tried him there in the spring.
"It started off a little rough," Clark said, "but just with patience and going to work every day, I've been able to – not master it – because it's still really early and there's still things I'm learning. But I've been able to figure it out a little bit better."
Campbell Barrington started six games at right tackle for BYU in 2021, earning Freshman All-America honors, before backing up his older brother at left guard last season. He's now the blind-side protection for the quarterbacks at left tackle.
"They've been such a great addition since Day 1," Byers said of the Barrington brothers. "First day they came in, you could already tell instantly that they were going to fit perfectly within our offensive line. Just the mental factor to it, I think adding them on has really helped us kind of mature a little bit as a group."
Byers and Williams settled in at left and right guard, respectively, while the 6-6, 311-pound Ellis is the projected starter at right tackle after playing just four games combined in his first four seasons.
"I've really been enjoying playing on the inside," said Williams, a 6-4, 305-pound redshirt sophomore who played in all 13 games last season as a backup at right tackle. "It's a lot more hand in the dirt and nose-down stuff, which is what I'm used to. I think it's a lot more physical than tackle, the physicality happens so much faster. I enjoy that so much more than slowing down at tackle and having to be more precise."
Clark Barrington said the "closer in you are on the line, the closer you are to the line of scrimmage."
"Just being able to kind of speed everything up," he said, "because the nose guards, they're right on top of the ball. So, just creating space quickly, and getting to where I need to be quickly is key."
With the connectivity developed through the spring and summer and first week of fall camp, "I think the way we're meshing together right now is more than we ever could in the spring," Byers said.
"Especially after going through those summer workouts and going through something hard together," Byers said, "I think we're coming together really good."
The offensive line is arguably the only thing in sports "where five people are working together towards a goal that doesn't involve the ball," Williams said.
"We always have to be on the same page with any call and any communication," Williams said. "We have to know what's happening before it happens, and I think that requires a level of chemistry you won't find anywhere else than in our room."
As relatively green as the starters are, particularly together, the backups have even less experience. The redshirt freshman class includes twin towers Kaden Sieracki (6-8, 309) and Alvin Ebosele (6-6, 300), along with the inside trio of Timothy Dawn (6-2, 301), George Maile (6-3, 304) and Coleton Price (6-2, 307).
"I feel like with these guys, it's been pretty easy to transition over to Baylor," Clark Barrington said. "I'm just grateful for them and their attitudes and their willingness to just go out and work every day. Me being able to just kind of step in and be that leader on the line, it happened naturally. I'm just grateful for those guys and their attitude and everything they bring to the table."
After a day off on Thursday, the Bears will wrap up their second week of camp with a practice Friday afternoon at the Simpson grass practice fields and Allison Indoor and a Saturday evening workout at McLane Stadium. All practices are closed to the public.
Baylor will open the 2023 season on Sept. 2, hosting Texas State at 6 p.m. at McLane Stadium. Season and single-game ticket options are available at Football 2023.
Baylor Bear Insider
In the spring, when they both transferred from BYU to Baylor, brothers Clark and Campbell Barrington had to feel at least a little bit like mercenaries.
Seven months later, they've joined converted tackles Gavin Byers and Tate Williams and a fifth-year senior with limited game action (Elijah Ellis) to form a bonded five-man unit.
"I think it's the difference between mercenaries and an army that's really come together and they're fighting for one common goal," said Byers, who has made 16 career starts at right tackle.
"When you have an offensive line that meshes together, you're going to get an offensive line that's playing for each other, that's playing for the team. They're not playing for their own individual outputs. But I think if you have a team that's just playing individually, the communication is not going be as good and they're just not going to be as good overall."
With the Barrington brothers transferring in, Byers and Williams swapping positions and a group of redshirt freshmen "young freaks" trying to get their footing, Clark Barrington said in the spring "it was a whole new bunch of guys trying to just go out there, figure it out and see what we can make happen."
"Right now, we've come together through time, through practice," Clark said, "and I think you can really see that out on the field."
After losing a trio of sixth-year seniors and a four-year starter at left tackle, along with 10-game starter Micah Mazzccua transferring to Florida, offensive line coach Eric Mateos shuffled the lineup throughout the spring until he found the right combination.
Clark Barrington, who made 37-consecutive starts at left guard at BYU, had never played center before Mateos tried him there in the spring.
"It started off a little rough," Clark said, "but just with patience and going to work every day, I've been able to – not master it – because it's still really early and there's still things I'm learning. But I've been able to figure it out a little bit better."
Campbell Barrington started six games at right tackle for BYU in 2021, earning Freshman All-America honors, before backing up his older brother at left guard last season. He's now the blind-side protection for the quarterbacks at left tackle.
"They've been such a great addition since Day 1," Byers said of the Barrington brothers. "First day they came in, you could already tell instantly that they were going to fit perfectly within our offensive line. Just the mental factor to it, I think adding them on has really helped us kind of mature a little bit as a group."
Byers and Williams settled in at left and right guard, respectively, while the 6-6, 311-pound Ellis is the projected starter at right tackle after playing just four games combined in his first four seasons.
"I've really been enjoying playing on the inside," said Williams, a 6-4, 305-pound redshirt sophomore who played in all 13 games last season as a backup at right tackle. "It's a lot more hand in the dirt and nose-down stuff, which is what I'm used to. I think it's a lot more physical than tackle, the physicality happens so much faster. I enjoy that so much more than slowing down at tackle and having to be more precise."
Clark Barrington said the "closer in you are on the line, the closer you are to the line of scrimmage."
"Just being able to kind of speed everything up," he said, "because the nose guards, they're right on top of the ball. So, just creating space quickly, and getting to where I need to be quickly is key."
With the connectivity developed through the spring and summer and first week of fall camp, "I think the way we're meshing together right now is more than we ever could in the spring," Byers said.
"Especially after going through those summer workouts and going through something hard together," Byers said, "I think we're coming together really good."
The offensive line is arguably the only thing in sports "where five people are working together towards a goal that doesn't involve the ball," Williams said.
"We always have to be on the same page with any call and any communication," Williams said. "We have to know what's happening before it happens, and I think that requires a level of chemistry you won't find anywhere else than in our room."
As relatively green as the starters are, particularly together, the backups have even less experience. The redshirt freshman class includes twin towers Kaden Sieracki (6-8, 309) and Alvin Ebosele (6-6, 300), along with the inside trio of Timothy Dawn (6-2, 301), George Maile (6-3, 304) and Coleton Price (6-2, 307).
"I feel like with these guys, it's been pretty easy to transition over to Baylor," Clark Barrington said. "I'm just grateful for them and their attitudes and their willingness to just go out and work every day. Me being able to just kind of step in and be that leader on the line, it happened naturally. I'm just grateful for those guys and their attitude and everything they bring to the table."
After a day off on Thursday, the Bears will wrap up their second week of camp with a practice Friday afternoon at the Simpson grass practice fields and Allison Indoor and a Saturday evening workout at McLane Stadium. All practices are closed to the public.
Baylor will open the 2023 season on Sept. 2, hosting Texas State at 6 p.m. at McLane Stadium. Season and single-game ticket options are available at Football 2023.
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