At the University of California, Berkeley, he earned the Joe Roth award with the Golden Bears in 1994.[3] Barr holds the Cal record for highest single season passer rating (164.5), is sixth in career passing yards, fourth in career passing touchdowns, and fifth in career total offense.[4] He attended Concord High School in Concord, California where he led the football team to the NCS 2A final before losing to Marin Catholic at the Oakland Coliseum.