Bucs let Barry out of contract to take job at USC The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have decided to let linebackers coach Joe Barry out of his contract so that Barry can become the linebackers coach under Lane Kiffin at Southern Cal. Barry originally was thought to be under consideration for the defensive coordinator job at Tennessee under new coach Derek Dooley, who was hired after Kiffin abruptly resigned to take the USC head coaching position. The Bucs will replace Barry, who was under contract through the 2010 season, by moving former defensive backs coach Joe Baker into that role. Baker will be replaced as defensive backs coach by Jimmy Lake, another former assistant with the Buccaneers. Bucs general manager Mark Dominik announced the changes Tuesday while meeting with Tampa Bay media at the Senior Bowl. Barry, 39, played linebacker at Southern Cal and also coached there as a graduate assistant. Dominik said the decision to let Barry out of his contract, which had a year remaining on it, was based on the "speclal'' opportunity to work again for former Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin at Barry's alma mater. "The reason behind it was not only Monte Kiffin and all the years of service that he brought to the football team, but Joe Barry was a player at USC, a captain at USC, his wife is from there," Dominik said. "So in just talking through that with Joe and Coach (Raheem) Morris, we decided to let him have that opportunity, which was something that he wanted." Barry, who will be ending his second stint as the Bucs linebackers coach after only one season the job, said he was sorry to be leaving Tampa again, but excited about the new opportunity. "It's exciting, it really is,'' Barry said. "We have a saying at SC that says you go to college there for four years but you're a Trojan for life, and it's no lie. It really is that way. I mean, It's a sweet spot to be and it's a great opportunity and the chance to work with Lane and the chance especially to work for Monte again only makes it that much sweeter for me.'' Barry said the labor unease in the NFL, which is struggling to put together a collective bargaining agreement with its players and may face a work stoppage in 2011, played a part in his decision. "SC gave me an offer I couldn't refuse, they made it real nice for me, and with the NFL and where it's at right now, I just had to take them up on it if I could." Baker was the linebackers coach for the Denver Broncos in 2007. He also worked with linebackers during a stint with the St. Louis Rams in 2006 and at the University of Wisconsin in 1999. Dominik acknowledged that the Bucs are also on the lookout for a new receivers coach and a quarterbacks coach but he refused to give names of potential candidates. Dominik said he hopes to reach a decision on the coaching changes by next Friday. He also said former defensive coordinator Jim Bates officially was released from his contract. Roy Cummings, The Tampa Tribune 28 January 2010