At the University of California, Berkeley, Barr earned the Joe Roth Award with the Golden Bears in 1994.[3] He holds the Cal record for highest single-season passer rating (164.5) and ranks sixth in career passing yards, fourth in career passing touchdowns, and fifth in career total offense.[4] Barr 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.