Oliver Barnett Named Kentucky’s SEC Football Legend

Former University of Kentucky football defensive lineman Oliver Barnett has been named a 2019 Southeastern Conference Legend, it was announced today.
 
Barnett spent much of his collegiate career in the opponent backfield as a pass-rush terror at UK from 1986-89 . During his time as a Wildcat, he set school records with 43 tackles for loss, 26 quarterback sacks, and 12 forced fumbles. His sacks record was just recently broken by All-American Josh Allen in 2018 (31.5 sacks).
 
Barnett earned All-America honors as a senior and All-SEC accolades his final two seasons at Kentucky. After his Wildcat days, Barnett played in the Senior Bowl and Blue-Gray all-star games before being selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL Draft. He totaled six NFL seasons with the Falcons, Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49’ers, including a trip to the 1994 Super Bowl with the Bills. He was inducted in the UK Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013.
 
Barnett graduated from Kentucky with a degree in social work in 1992 and currently lives in Lexington with his wife Tia and two children, Elle and Elijah. His son, Elijah, is a senior outside linebacker for the Wildcats.
 
The 2019 Football Legends Class includes 14 former stars who excelled on the gridiron and helped write the rich history of the sport at their respective institutions.  This year’s class includes All-Americans, All-SEC selections and Academic All-Americans as well as successful head coaches.  The group represents teams that won National and SEC Championships, participated in Super Bowl titles and are represented in state, school and college football halls of fame.
 
The class will be honored at the 2019 SEC Football “Weekend of Champions” December 6-7 in Atlanta, Ga, highlighted by the annual SEC Legends Dinner on Friday, December 6 at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta.  The group will also be recognized prior to the SEC Football Championship Game, which will be held at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, December 7.