2016 Football Roster
Roster
Barden, Michael

Jersey Number 49
Michael Barden
- Position:
- Place Kicker
- Height:
- 5-10
- Weight:
- 175
- Class:
- Sophomore
- Hometown:
- Austin, Texas
- High School:
- Westlake
Bio
2018 SEASON (SENIOR)
Served as a key backup at all three specialty positions during senior season ... AWARDS AND HONORS: recognized on the Academic All-Big 12 first team for a third-consecutive season.
2017 SEASON (JUNIOR)
Remained Texas Tech’s primary kickoff specialist while also adding some place kicking duties as a junior … appeared in all 13 games, including Texas Tech’s trip to the Birmingham Bowl … ended the year 4-of-8 on field goals and 23-of-24 on extra-point attempts … took over place kicking duties part of the year due to the injury to Clayton Hatfield … averaged 63.5 yards per kickoff with 40 touchbacks on 74 attempts (54.1 percent) … IN BIG 12 RANKINGS: ranked eighth among kickers in scoring per game (2.7 points) and 10th in field goals per game (0.31) … SEASON HIGHLIGHTS … averaged a season high 65.8 yards per kickoff with five touchbacks to open the year against Eastern Washington (9/2) … later averaged 65.8 yards per kickoff at West Virginia as well (10/14) … only other time to have five touchbacks came against Baylor in the Texas Farm Bureau Shootout (11/11) … recorded four touchbacks versus Arizona State (9/16), Houston (9/23), Oklahoma State (9/30), West Virginia, and Texas (11/24) … first successful field goal of the year came on a 39-yarder against Arizona State … nailed a career-high 47-yard attempt the following week at Houston … was a perfect 2-of-2 on field goal attempts in the Big 12 opener against Oklahoma State … matched his career high for points in that same game against the Cowboys after drilling all four extra-point attempts … relinquished field goal duty prior to the Kansas State game (11/4) … AWARDS AND HONORS: Academic All-Big 12 first team selection.
2016 SEASON (SOPHOMORE)
Served as the Red Raiders’ primary punter and kickoff specialist throughout his sophomore campaign … appeared in 11 games on the season with the lone exception coming when Texas Tech failed to punt against Louisiana Tech (9/17) … had 11 of his punts downed inside the 20 (25.6 percent) with six spotted inside the 10 yard-line (14.0 percent) … averaged 38.3 yards per punt on 43 attempts (1,645 total yards) … recorded a touchback in 31 of his 45 kickoff attempts … averaged 63.8 yards per kickoff … SEASON HIGHLIGHTS … recorded punts of 50 yards or longer in four of the first five games of the season … averaged 43.0 yards per punt at Arizona State (9/10) after being called upon four times … combined for only three punts the following three games against Louisiana Tech (9/17), Kansas (9/29) and Kansas State (10/8) … recorded his highest average of the season versus K-State after booming a 59-yard attempt and a 43-yarder (52.0 average) … his 59-yard punt marked a season high that was later matched against Texas … provided an offensive spark against the Longhorns with a 25-yard run that provided Tech a key fourth-down conversion on its first possession of the second half … turned in another crucial fake punt the following week at Oklahoma State … found Talor Nunez on a 15-yard pass to convert on fourth down to start second half … also recovered his own onside kick later in the game while punting two balls inside the OSU 20 yard-line … performance earned him his first career Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honor … best outing on kickoffs came against Oklahoma where 8-of-9 kickoffs went for touchbacks ... AWARDS AND HONORS: Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week (11/14).
2015 SEASON (REDSHIRT FRESHMAN)
One of two kickers to see action for the Red Raiders this season ... perfect 19-for-19 on extra point attempts on year ... also 2-for-3 on field goals ... SEASON HIGHLIGHTS ... connected on first career field goal in season opener against Sam Houston State (27 yards) ... added a successful 32-yard field goal the following week against UTEP ... lone miss came on a 22-yard attempt at Arkansas ... did not play against TCU, Baylor, Iowa State and LSU ... inserted to punt twice at Kansas ... averaged 33.5 yards per punt with one landing inside the 20-yard line ... has handled punting duties since facing the Jayhawks ... averaged 49.3 yards per punt against Oklahoma, including a booming 58-yard punt. ... punted three times against Oklahoma State, averaging 40.3 yards per punt ... also took off on a big momentum-swinging fake punt in the second half, picking up a key first down ... averaged 43.8 yards on his four punts against West Virginia, pinning two inside the 20 yard line ... punted four times against K-State, totaling a season-high 51.5 average ... performance also included a career-long 62 yard punt ... recorded 16 punts on the year, averaging 44.8 yards per punt.
2014 SEASON (FRESHMAN)
Redshirt season ... did not play.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Austin Westlake High School in Austin, Texas ... helped lead Westlake to the Texas Class 5A semifinals during senior season ... Connected on 14 field goals during senior season alone ... was a second team All-District kicker and first team All-District punter as a senior ... recognized on the All-Central Texas football team by the Austin American-Statesman ... also named a third team All-State kicker following senior season ... previously garnered first team All-District honors during junior season ... attended Air Force Academy Prep School following high school.
PERSONAL
Michael Barden ... born in Austin, Texas ... son of Mike and Eileen Barden ... youngest of three siblings ... has an older brother, Bryan, and an older sister, Patty ... a civil engineering major at Texas Tech with a minor in mathematics.
CAREER HIGHS
Points Scored : 10, twice, vs. Oklahoma State (2017)*
PAT’s: 7, twice, UTEP (2015)*
Field Goals Made: 2, vs. Oklahoma State (2017)
Field Goals Attempted: 3, at West Virginia (2017)
Longest Field Goal: 47, at Houston (2017)
Punt Attempts: 5, twice, at Oklahoma State (2016)*
Longest Punt: 62, vs. Kansas State (2015)
* Indicates most recent high
Served as a key backup at all three specialty positions during senior season ... AWARDS AND HONORS: recognized on the Academic All-Big 12 first team for a third-consecutive season.
2017 SEASON (JUNIOR)
Remained Texas Tech’s primary kickoff specialist while also adding some place kicking duties as a junior … appeared in all 13 games, including Texas Tech’s trip to the Birmingham Bowl … ended the year 4-of-8 on field goals and 23-of-24 on extra-point attempts … took over place kicking duties part of the year due to the injury to Clayton Hatfield … averaged 63.5 yards per kickoff with 40 touchbacks on 74 attempts (54.1 percent) … IN BIG 12 RANKINGS: ranked eighth among kickers in scoring per game (2.7 points) and 10th in field goals per game (0.31) … SEASON HIGHLIGHTS … averaged a season high 65.8 yards per kickoff with five touchbacks to open the year against Eastern Washington (9/2) … later averaged 65.8 yards per kickoff at West Virginia as well (10/14) … only other time to have five touchbacks came against Baylor in the Texas Farm Bureau Shootout (11/11) … recorded four touchbacks versus Arizona State (9/16), Houston (9/23), Oklahoma State (9/30), West Virginia, and Texas (11/24) … first successful field goal of the year came on a 39-yarder against Arizona State … nailed a career-high 47-yard attempt the following week at Houston … was a perfect 2-of-2 on field goal attempts in the Big 12 opener against Oklahoma State … matched his career high for points in that same game against the Cowboys after drilling all four extra-point attempts … relinquished field goal duty prior to the Kansas State game (11/4) … AWARDS AND HONORS: Academic All-Big 12 first team selection.
2016 SEASON (SOPHOMORE)
Served as the Red Raiders’ primary punter and kickoff specialist throughout his sophomore campaign … appeared in 11 games on the season with the lone exception coming when Texas Tech failed to punt against Louisiana Tech (9/17) … had 11 of his punts downed inside the 20 (25.6 percent) with six spotted inside the 10 yard-line (14.0 percent) … averaged 38.3 yards per punt on 43 attempts (1,645 total yards) … recorded a touchback in 31 of his 45 kickoff attempts … averaged 63.8 yards per kickoff … SEASON HIGHLIGHTS … recorded punts of 50 yards or longer in four of the first five games of the season … averaged 43.0 yards per punt at Arizona State (9/10) after being called upon four times … combined for only three punts the following three games against Louisiana Tech (9/17), Kansas (9/29) and Kansas State (10/8) … recorded his highest average of the season versus K-State after booming a 59-yard attempt and a 43-yarder (52.0 average) … his 59-yard punt marked a season high that was later matched against Texas … provided an offensive spark against the Longhorns with a 25-yard run that provided Tech a key fourth-down conversion on its first possession of the second half … turned in another crucial fake punt the following week at Oklahoma State … found Talor Nunez on a 15-yard pass to convert on fourth down to start second half … also recovered his own onside kick later in the game while punting two balls inside the OSU 20 yard-line … performance earned him his first career Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honor … best outing on kickoffs came against Oklahoma where 8-of-9 kickoffs went for touchbacks ... AWARDS AND HONORS: Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week (11/14).
2015 SEASON (REDSHIRT FRESHMAN)
One of two kickers to see action for the Red Raiders this season ... perfect 19-for-19 on extra point attempts on year ... also 2-for-3 on field goals ... SEASON HIGHLIGHTS ... connected on first career field goal in season opener against Sam Houston State (27 yards) ... added a successful 32-yard field goal the following week against UTEP ... lone miss came on a 22-yard attempt at Arkansas ... did not play against TCU, Baylor, Iowa State and LSU ... inserted to punt twice at Kansas ... averaged 33.5 yards per punt with one landing inside the 20-yard line ... has handled punting duties since facing the Jayhawks ... averaged 49.3 yards per punt against Oklahoma, including a booming 58-yard punt. ... punted three times against Oklahoma State, averaging 40.3 yards per punt ... also took off on a big momentum-swinging fake punt in the second half, picking up a key first down ... averaged 43.8 yards on his four punts against West Virginia, pinning two inside the 20 yard line ... punted four times against K-State, totaling a season-high 51.5 average ... performance also included a career-long 62 yard punt ... recorded 16 punts on the year, averaging 44.8 yards per punt.
2014 SEASON (FRESHMAN)
Redshirt season ... did not play.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Austin Westlake High School in Austin, Texas ... helped lead Westlake to the Texas Class 5A semifinals during senior season ... Connected on 14 field goals during senior season alone ... was a second team All-District kicker and first team All-District punter as a senior ... recognized on the All-Central Texas football team by the Austin American-Statesman ... also named a third team All-State kicker following senior season ... previously garnered first team All-District honors during junior season ... attended Air Force Academy Prep School following high school.
PERSONAL
Michael Barden ... born in Austin, Texas ... son of Mike and Eileen Barden ... youngest of three siblings ... has an older brother, Bryan, and an older sister, Patty ... a civil engineering major at Texas Tech with a minor in mathematics.
CAREER HIGHS
Points Scored : 10, twice, vs. Oklahoma State (2017)*
PAT’s: 7, twice, UTEP (2015)*
Field Goals Made: 2, vs. Oklahoma State (2017)
Field Goals Attempted: 3, at West Virginia (2017)
Longest Field Goal: 47, at Houston (2017)
Punt Attempts: 5, twice, at Oklahoma State (2016)*
Longest Punt: 62, vs. Kansas State (2015)
* Indicates most recent high
Texas Tech Postgame Press Conference
Saturday, September 06
Highlights: Kent State
Saturday, September 06
Behind the Mic - Kent St. vs TTU
Saturday, September 06
The Friday Night Hype
Friday, September 05