Brad Bars is more than ready to return to the field after missing the 2013 season due to injury. He provided tireless effort during his rehabilitation and is looking to work his way into a significant role in the defensive end rotation during his fifth-year senior season. Bars is a talented and relentless player with a great motor who could also play a prominent role on the special teams. With his efforts in the strength and conditioning program, he has added more than 15 pounds to his frame since the start of the 2013 season. A product of Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Bars played in eight games on defense and special teams in 2012. Bars is one of the squad's premier students, owning a 3.68 grade-point average after the spring semester. The Dean's List student compiled a 4.00 grade-point average during the 2012 fall semester and was selected to the Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District team. A three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, Bars will be a candidate for CoSIDA Academic All-America consideration this year. He earned his degree in finance in May and is among the five returnees who graduated last spring.
2013 - Senior Season
Bars suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in July 2013 and missed the season.
2012 - Junior Season
Bars played in eight games on defense and special teams. He missed the first two contests with a leg injury and made two tackles in the win over Navy to assist in Bill O'Brien's first career head coaching victory. Bars attained a 4.00 grade-point average during the 2012 fall semester. He was selected to the Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District® team and was an Academic All-Big Ten honoree for the second time.
2011 - Sophomore Season
In his first season on the field, Bars saw playing time in 12 games and delivered one of the season's biggest special teams plays when he blocked an Illinois punt in the fourth quarter. After the block, the Nittany Lions kicked a field goal to pull within four points and won the Leaders Division game, 10-7, with a touchdown with less than 70 seconds to play to improve to 5-0 in the Big Ten at the time. Bars played a total of 97 snaps with a season-high 12 snaps each against Purdue, Nebraska and Wisconsin. He earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.
2010 - Freshman Season
Redshirt season. Bars compiled a perfect 4.00 grade-point average during the 2010 fall semester.
High School
A four-year starter for coach Dan McGugin at Montgomery Bell Academy, Bars was a Tennessee Sportswriters all-state selection in 2009. He was named to the Dandy Dozen as one of Tennessee's top 12 players. During his junior and senior campaigns, he combined for a total of 179 tackles, 11 sacks and four interceptions. Bars helped his squad to a state championship in 2007 and, as captain, led his team to a state runner-up finish in 2009. Bars also lettered in track and basketball.
Personal
Full name is Bradley Joseph Bars. He is the son of Joe and Sally Bars. He has two younger brothers, Blake and Alex, and one younger sister, Lauren. His father and uncle, Mike Bars, played football at Notre Dame and his grandfather, Joe Bars Sr., was a pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Doug Eggleston, Bars' maternal grandfather, and his uncle, Don Kolcheff, both played football at Michigan. In his free time, Bars enjoys attending concerts, listening to music, playing the saxophone and piano, and water sports. He graduated with a degree in finance in May 2014. Born April 24, 1992 in Chicago, Ill.
