cfb zeitgeistZeitgeist
OFFSEASON · SUMMER 2026 · COMMITMENT SEASON
Heisman / Players / Arnold Barnes /Tulane

Arnold Barnes

RB · Tulane · Jr · #20

Below the discourse floor — the honest stats-only state.

217 RUSH YDS · 0 RUSH TD · 51 CARRIES

2026 RETURNINGReturning to Tulane for 2026

2026 Outlook

Returning to Tulane for 2026

2026 Depth chart

Projected starter

Running back · Tulane

Returning around him

  • 15% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
  • Transfer portal: -7 net (20 in / 27 out)

2026 Award watch

No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)

Tulane · Last season: 11-3 (AP #17) · Talent rank #68 · 2026 recruiting class #74

RB · TULANE · AMERICAN ATHLETIC

Arnold Barnes

  • 3
  • #20
  • 5-10 | 216 lb
  • New Orleans, LA

CFB Zeitgeist Score

10

Below cohort in the position cohort. Carried by yards / carry at the 24th percentile.

Heisman Heat

#325

<1% win probability

Fan Belief

Awaiting

Player-specific FI not yet ingested. Falls back to team mood below.

Respect Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

Reality Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

ACCOLADE PROBABILITY

Heisman

<1%

TOP RB AWARD

Doak Walker

CONSENSUS

All-American

Player Standing · 17 rungs

Tier 2 · Starter

R06 · Starter

Starter. A locked-in starting role.

Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Development Trajectory · rushing yards

2023–2025
1382023
4022024
2172025

+57%

Up 57% from first season to most-recent.

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
★★★
#988 national
CFB
College
Tulane
2023–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

Identity & Role

The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.

PositionRB
Class3
Jersey20
Measurements5-10 | 216 lb
HometownNew Orleans, LA
Primary teamTulane

Recruiting Pedigree

How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.

Top pedigree 3-star No. 988 recruit
Composite rating 0.8647 HighSchool
Signed with -- 2023
Origin KIPP Booker T. Washington New Orleans, LA, USA
Class Profile Context
2023 3-star | 0.8647 No. 988 recruit | HighSchool

Transfer Arc

Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.

Portal moves 0 No portal entry on file
Latest destination -- --
Transfer stars -- CFBD transfer rating context
Eligibility -- Transfer date TBD
Season Move Context
No transfer portal moves on file for this player.

Heisman Lens · 2024 Season · Final

Where the player landed at the end of the listed season — final nowcast rank, win/finalist/ballot probabilities, and the cleanest official Heisman placement on file.

HIGH CONFIDENCE· through week 16
Current nowcast#325Latest modeled ballot order
Season forecast#418Where the full season sim points
Win probability0.0%Chance to actually win the trophy
Finalist probability0.0%Chance to make the finalist tier
Ballot probability0.0%Chance to appear anywhere on a ballot
Best official finish--Best completed Heisman placement on file

Heisman Futures

Not yet listed on major futures markets.

No achievements unlocked yet this season.

Selector Grid · 2025

AP
FWAA
AFCA
WCFF
SN
SI

Selector recognition fills in once the major honors lists (AP, FWAA, AFCA, Walter Camp, Sporting News, SI) are scraped and ingested.

NIL · Recruiting · NFL Draft

Market value, pedigree & pro outcome

Recruit stars

★★★☆☆

to —

Composite

0.8647

#988 national

Today’s Hot-Take

The Hot-Take engine fires when this player’s percentile profile crosses a defensible threshold (top 10% in a cohort, 100+ snap sample). When it’s quiet, the model is honoring its “must be defensible” rule.

Anti-Take

PENDING

The contrarian read fires when the rules-engine detects a stat that complicates the Hot-Take. Quiet here means the model hasn’t found a defensible counter yet — not that one doesn’t exist.

The Room on Arnold Barnes

Fan sentiment · Awaiting signal

The Room reads fan conversation around a player — who’s talking, what they believe, and how that shifts. It publishes once weekly volume rebuilds; for most players that’s in-season, when game-week chatter spikes.

Cohort divergence map

Cohort divergence reads how different fanbases talk about this player. Returns once weekly mentions clear the publish floor.

Rival Radar

How rival fanbases talk about Arnold Barnes

No rival-bucket mentions in the current season.

Signature Story

Awaiting candidate metric

He hasn't written his page yet — we'll start filling it in when there are enough snaps to rank against his peers.

Signature Moment

No signature moment on the ledger yet.

Returns once this player puts together a multi-game body of work — single-game flashes alone don't clear the bar.

A 3-act season arc returns once this player has six or more games on the ledger.

Season Pace · Projection

Where the rushing totals stand

projecting to 13-game
Through 11g
217Rush yards
51Carries
0Rush TDs
Per game
19.7Rush yards
5Carries
0Rush TDs
Projected (13g)
256.5Rush yards
60Carries
0Rush TDs

To hit 750-yard season (currently 217): needs 266.5/game over remaining 2.

To hit 1,000-yard season (currently 217): needs 391.5/game over remaining 2.

To hit 1,500-yard season (currently 217): needs 641.5/game over remaining 2.

To hit 10 rushing TDs (currently 0): needs 5/game over remaining 2.

To hit 15 rushing TDs (currently 0): needs 7.5/game over remaining 2.

To hit 20 rushing TDs (currently 0): needs 10/game over remaining 2.

What made this player interesting

The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.

Arnold Barnes's story is about how role and output meet each other. For Tulane, the card already shows enough current-season production to explain why he is on the serious-player board, and the next layer is determining whether the profile is just very good or actually distinctive.

Current place #325 0.0% win | 0.0% finalist
Role load 7.3% Overall usage share
Profile quirk Development arc The card should explain why this profile stands out

2025 Season · Final

Traditional stats first. Advanced context underneath.

Last season

RB season snapshot

2025 season snapshot | final

2025 season snapshot | finalData: CFBD player stats + local Heisman modelPeer context: same position + same level
Scrimmage yards 233 217 rush | 16 rec | #327/735 (56th pct)
Rush TD 0 51 carries | #447/739 (40th pct)
Yards/carry 4.3 Per-rush efficiency | #435/735 (41st pct)
Player identity What kind of player is this?

30-second read

What kind of player is this?

Backfield contributor against FBS RB peers.

Balanced profile

2025 Season · Final

2025 season snapshot | final

Rushing

CAR
51 58th
YDS
217 56th
YPC
4.3 41st
TD
0 40th

Receiving

REC
2 25th
YDS
16 26th
YPR
8.0 63rd
TD
0 70th

Game Log · Week-by-week

2025 season · 11 games

Box score · CFBD
WkOppCARYDSAVGTDLONGNote
Wk 1W 23-3vs Northwestern5285.6011
Wk 2W 33-31@ South Alabama5122.408
Wk 3W 34-27vs Duke5275.4013
Wk 4L 10-45@ Ole Miss11474.3012
Wk 5W 31-14@ Tulsa8486.0011Season-high 48 yds
Wk 7W 26-19vs East Carolina7314.4014
Wk 11W 38-32@ Memphis1-4-4.000
Wk 12W 35-24vs Florida Atlantic166.006
Wk 13W 37-13@ Temple393.004
Wk 14W 27-0vs Charlotte372.303
Wk 15W 34-21vs North Texas263.005
Total512173.5014
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score

Traditional history

Traditional Stats

Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.

Season rows Career row

Season context · Team result + system

2023Tulane11-3HC: Slade Nagle · Run-leaning
2024Tulane9-5HC: Jon Sumrall · Run-heavy
2025Tulane11-3HC: Jon Sumrall · Run-leaning
SeasonTeam
2025Tulane512174.30--
2024Tulane874024.66--
2023Tulane231386.00--
Career3 loaded seasons1617574.76--
SeasonTeam
2025Tulane2168.00--
2024Tulane8192.41--
2023Tulane----------
Career3 loaded seasons10353.51--
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context

Advanced metrics second

Advanced Metrics

Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.

Usage Value Context
Rushing WEPA

Opponent-adjusted rushing value. It helps separate empty volume from carries that actually move the scoreboard.

Role share

How much of the team's offense flows through this back once rushing work and receiving work are combined.

Peer percentile

Every percentile is compared against players at the same position and level, so an FBS quarterback is judged against FBS quarterbacks, not the whole sport.

Traditional first

The top tables stick to the stats fans already know from broadcasts and box scores. Advanced context is pushed underneath instead of replacing the basics.

Receiving work 2 16 rec yds | #414/552 (25th pct)
Usage 7.3% 12.3% rush share | #416/738 (44th pct)
Rushing WEPA +0.00 Opponent-adjusted rush value | #346/362 (5th pct)
Open full stat explorer
0 metrics visible Showing all metrics
Group Metric Value Rank Pct Why it matters
Rushing Rushing yards 217 #327/735 56th pct Volumevs FBS RB
Rushing Rush TD 0 #447/739 40th pct Scoringvs FBS RB
Rushing Yards / carry 4.3 #435/735 41st pct Efficiencyvs FBS RB
Receiving Receptions 2 #414/552 25th pct Volumevs FBS RB
Receiving Receiving yards 16 #408/548 26th pct Volumevs FBS RB
Value Rushing WEPA +0.00 #346/362 5th pct Opponent-adjusted rushing value | 53 weighted playsvs FBS RB
Usage Role share 7.3% #416/738 44th pct Share of team offensevs FBS RB
Rushing Carries 51 #308/739 58th pct Volumevs FBS RB
Rushing Rushing LONG 14 #488/733 34th pct Metricvs FBS RB
Receiving Receiving LONG 12 #365/540 33rd pct Metricvs FBS RB
Receiving Yards / catch 8.0 #206/548 63rd pct Efficiencyvs FBS RB
Receiving Receiving TD 0 #169/552 70th pct Scoringvs FBS RB
Usage Rush share 12.3% #415/738 44th pct Ground-game usagevs FBS RB
Usage 2nd-down usage 8.2% #421/738 43rd pct Middle-down loadvs FBS RB
Usage 1st-down usage 8.1% #414/738 44th pct Early-down loadvs FBS RB
Usage Standard-down usage 8.0% #428/738 42nd pct Base-situation sharevs FBS RB
Usage Passing-down usage 5.4% #436/738 41st pct Known-passing sharevs FBS RB
Usage 3rd-down usage 4.0% #491/738 34th pct Money-down loadvs FBS RB
Usage Pass share 1.2% #480/738 35th pct Air-game usagevs FBS RB
Ball Security Fumbles lost 2 #205/256 20th pct Turnoversvs FBS RB

Player Standing

Universal 17-step ladder. Tier pills below; accolade streams nested.

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION

On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION · Rung None of 16

Why he’s here

Standing classification populates when honors, Heisman, and roster signals all align.

What moves him up

What moves him down

Accolade streams

StatusAwaiting tracker

Heisman model tracks the top FBS contenders weekly; this player hasn't entered the watch list yet.

Splits · Per-game

2025 season · 11 games

Home/Road · Win/Loss · Season halves

Home vs Road

YDS/gYPCTD/g
Home6g17.54.50.0
Road5g22.42.30.0

Win vs Loss

YDS/gYPCTD/g
Wins10g17.03.40.0
Losses1g47.04.30.0

First half vs Second half

YDS/gYPCTD/g
Weeks 1-76g32.24.70.0
Weeks 8+5g4.82.10.0

Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.

Savant · Box-rate percentiles

Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort

10Below cohort
8 metrics · season cumulative

Concern: long run (2nd).

Yards / carry#257 / 349 · 24th pct
4.3rush
Fumbles lost#154 / 201 · 14th pct
2fumb
Carries#308 / 349 · 11th pct
51rush
Rec yards#304 / 338 · 10th pct
16rece
Rush yards#321 / 349 · 8th pct
217rush
Receptions#318 / 338 · 5th pct
2rece
Rush TDs#326 / 349 · 3rd pct
0rush
Long run#338 / 349 · 3rd pct
14rush

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.

Advanced Savant · RB · 2024

Percentile Card

Advanced opponent-adjusted percentile bars are coming soon for this player.

P4G5All FBS
EPA / dropback
awaiting
CPOE
awaiting
Success rate
awaiting
Explosive rate (20+)
awaiting
aDOT
awaiting
Deep-ball accuracy
awaiting
Pressure-to-sack
awaiting
3rd-down EPA
awaiting
Red-zone TD rate
awaiting
Play-action EPA
awaiting
Scramble EPA
awaiting
Turnover-worthy play rate
awaiting

Advanced Savant

Opponent-adjusted advanced metrics with a cohort filter.

wepa_rushing0Below (<p25) (n=178)

Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match

Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile

3 peers · 8 metrics
Arnold BarnesTulaneJordan BrunsonMiami (OH)· 51% simChavon WrightNorthern Illinois· 50% simTae MeadowsTroy· 49% sim
Yards / carry
24
Barnes
41
Brunson
33
Wright
29
Meadows
Fumbles lost
14
Barnes
49
Brunson
49
Wright
49
Meadows
Carries
11
Barnes
85
Brunson
92
Wright
84
Meadows
Rec yards
10
Barnes
3
Brunson
10
Wright
38
Meadows
Rush yards
8
Barnes
80
Brunson
84
Wright
74
Meadows
Receptions
5
Barnes
2
Brunson
32
Wright
45
Meadows
Rush TDs
3
Barnes
50
Brunson
62
Wright
72
Meadows
Long run
3
Barnes
73
Brunson
49
Wright
53
Meadows

Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.

Player DNA

The Balanced Back

Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.

RB

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Kavosiey Smoke’s 2022 season.

Kavosiey Smoke

83%match

Kentucky · 2022

#2

Omar Fattah

Air Force · 2021

79%
#3

Leshon Williams

Iowa · 2023

81%
#4

Damien Taylor

Troy · 2023

79%
#5

Jevyon Ducker

Northern Illinois · 2021

72%

Matches Kavosiey on

Yards / carry
Weight
Receiving share

Through 3 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Gerrid Doaks’s path through Cincinnati.

Gerrid Doaks

98%match

Cincinnati · 2020

All-AACNFL Rd 7
#2

Rickey Hunt

Middle Tennessee · 2025

94%
#3

Omar Fattah

Air Force · 2022

90%
#4

Micah Welch

Colorado · 2025

90%
#5

Pat Garwo III

Nevada · 2024

88%

Matches Gerrid on

Yards per carry

As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Leshon Williams's junior season at Iowa (2023).

Leshon Williams

80%match

Iowa · 2023

#2

Kavosiey Smoke

Kentucky · 2022

77%
#3

Kay'Ron Adams

Massachusetts · 2022

74%
#4

Reggie Love III

Illinois · 2022

69%
#5

Chez Mellusi

Wisconsin · 2022

68%

Matches Leshon on

Total rush EPA (college ability)
Rush TD rate
Receiving share

Differs from Leshon on

Class year (lower)

Supporting Cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2025 season

Head Coach

Jon Sumrall

Pass share

45.8%

424 pass / 501 run

Plays / game

66.1

14 games

OL sack rate (allowed)

3.4%

294 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Run-leaning.

Coaching Lineage · 2023–2025

2 coaches
2023
Slade Nagle
Tulane
2024
Jon Sumrall
Tulane
era →
2025
Jon Sumrall
Tulane

Coaching transition mid-career: Slade Nagle → Jon Sumrall. Worth noting in scheme + development context.

Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster

Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.

HometownNew Orleans, LA
Height5'10"
Weight216 lb
Class3
PositionRB
Jersey20

Trophy Case · Detail

Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.

Honors

No formal honors on the ledger yet

All-America, all-conference, player-of-the-week, watch-list, and postseason awards land here when they're earned. The absence is the signal: most players never collect formal honors, and that's its own kind of context.

Honors Timeline

Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.

Season Honor Scope Team / Selector Context
No formal honors on the ledger yet. All-America, all-conference, weekly awards, watch lists, and postseason trophies land here when they’re earned.

Heisman By Year

Modeled rank and official finish by season.

Season Team Role Latest Model Forecast Win Finalist Official Finish Points Context
2024 Tulane RB3 #325 #418 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W16 snapshot | American Athletic
2023 Tulane RB3 #1685 #1589 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W19 snapshot | American Athletic

Roster Timeline

Team, conference, and class by season.

Season Team Conference Pos Class Bio
2025 Tulane American Athletic RB 3 No. 20 | 5-10 | 216 lb | New Orleans, LA
2024 Tulane American Athletic RB 3 No. 20 | 5-10 | 216 lb | New Orleans, LA
2023 Tulane American Athletic RB 3 No. 20 | 5-10 | 216 lb | New Orleans, LA