Defensive tackle Ricky Barber had a monster 2020 season at Western Kentucky, earning Freshman All-American honors with 51 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 27 hurries and a forced fumble.

The junior had similar aspirations last season after transferring to UCF, but suffered a knee injury in the third game at Louisville which forced him to miss the next two games. While he did return to action, Barber was never 100 percent. He finished the year with 29 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and three sacks.

"Last year was a humbling experience for me," Barber said. "Coming off that All-American season, transitioning to a bigger school and expecting to come in and make a big impact and then getting hurt. It was definitely humbling and it also taught me how much I really love football. When I wasn't playing, it was bad."

I asked if there was anything he could take away from being sidelined. A silver lining?

"It allowed me to step back and really get to know the people I was playing with," Barber said. "We had to lean on a lot of guys to make those plays. I was able to view them from a different angle and see them step up. Really trust the people I'm playing with."

Barber said he had a productive summer in the weight room working with strength coach Chris Dawson. He said he feels 100 percent. It was a good summer for the team as well.

"I feel we made a lot of progress this offseason," Barber said.

He was at first a bit modest about his strength numbers, but word around the building is he's one of the best lifters on the team. He has a friendly weight room rivalry with center Matt Lee when it comes to the squat.

"We compete a lot," Barber said. "We were lift partners. This week he might one-up me by five pounds, but the next week I'll get him. We got up to 585 (pounds), 600, just going at each other."

Sometimes offensive and defensive linemen don't get along especially since they clash during practice, but not between Barber and Lee.

"It's all love between us," Barber said. "That's my dog. We sit next to each other in team meetings. On the field we go at it, but we're joking and laughing after the play."

What's the outlook for the defensive line?

"Honestly, I feel us as a d-line, we have a really big chip on our shoulder," Barber said. "I feel like this year, from our coaches and trickling down to us players, we're hungry. We need a big year. We want a big year. Seize the moment. This is the year."

Barber talked about a few of his teammates already standing out.

"I like Jamaal (Johnson), the freshman d-end. I've been noticing him a lot. He looks good. D-tackle wise, Matthew Alexander, Kervins Choute, older guys like Keenan Hester and Anthony Montalvo. Can't forget about Lee Hunter. Everybody is coming to practice hungry. Everybody is giving it their all."

Lee Hunter is a transfer from Auburn.

"He's a beast, honestly," Barber said. "Size and speed, he's a beast."

And what does Barber want to achieve personally?

"I want to establish myself as one of the best d-linemen in the nation. That's my goal."

The team goal?

"This team is walking around with a championship mentality," Barber said. "That's how we carry ourselves around the building. That's what we want to produce on the field."

Asked what he's most looking forward to, Barber said it was winning the American Athletic Conference Championship. There are still a few players left who were there for the back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018 including fellow defensive tackle Anthony Montalvo.

"Monty is my roommate, so we talk about that all the time," Barber said. "I've seen Monty's championship ring in the room. I want one."