Barney Cotton
Encyclopedia
Barney Cotton is the Associate Head Coach
and Offensive Line Coach
for the University of Nebraska
Cornhuskers
football team.
on September 30, 1956, and graduated from Omaha Burke High School
.
after the conclusion of his high school career at Omaha Burke. He played his first two seasons as an Offensive Lineman, then spent the next season on the other side of the ball, playing Defensive Tackle. In his senior season, he returned to the offensive line, earning All-Big-Eight
honors while helping Tom Osborne's 1978 team to a league championship.
Cotton was a third-round pick in the 1979 NFL Draft
and played for one season with the Cincinnati Bengals
before moving to the St Louis Cardinals
. In 1982, after three seasons with St. Louis, a knee injury forced his retirement. Cotton then returned to Nebraska, completing a bachelor’s degree in 1983.
coaching
career in 1989 when he joined the staff at St. Cloud State
as the Offensive Coordinator
and Offensive Line Coach
, helping St. Cloud State to a North Central Conference
championship that same year. Cotton was also a student of St. Cloud State during his coaching career there, completing his Master's Degree
in Athletic Administration during his last year as their coach in 1994.
In 1995, Cotton was appointed as Head Coach
for the first time in his career, back in his home state of Nebraska
, at Hastings College
. In 1995, Hastings College won the Nebraska-Iowa Athletic Conference (NIAC)
championship and made an appearance in the NAIA
playoffs, and Cotton was named NIAC Coach of the Year.
In 1997, former Nebraska Cornhuskers player and New Mexico State
Head Coach Tony Samuel
hired Cotton to the same position he had held at St. Cloud State; Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach. Although championships eluded New Mexico State during Cotton's six years with the program, the production of his offensive players generated impressive statistics. New Mexico State ranked nationally in the top 25 in overall offense in 1998, 2000 and 2002, and was ranked nationally in the top 25 in rushing offense for all six years. In his final season, New Mexico State led the Sun Belt Conference
in passing efficiency, rushing offense and total offense. Six New Mexico State linemen earned All-Sunbelt Conference Honors during Cotton's tenure.
Cotton was hired by Nebraska Head Coach Frank Solich
, once again to serve as Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach, and helping Nebraska finish with a 10-3 record in 2003. Despite helping Nebraska to a national top ten rushing offense and mentoring four linemen to earn All-Big 12 Conference
honors, Cotton was let go along with nearly all of the other assistants after Solich was replaced by Bill Callahan following the 2003 season.
Iowa State
promptly hired Cotton in 2004, once again as Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach. In his first season, Iowa State overcame a soft start by finishing strong and defeating Miami (OH)
in the 2004 Independence Bowl
. Over the following two years, Cotton guided several Iowa State players to Big 12 Conference honors before he found himself once again let go after another coaching change. Unable to find a college coaching job, he spent the following year remaining in Ames Iowa, as an unpaid volunteer coaching assistant at Ames High School
.
In 2008, Cotton again accepted a position with Nebraska. Former Nebraska Defensive Coordinator
Bo Pelini
, who had also been let go along with Cotton following Solich's dismissal, was named Callahan's successor as Head Coach at Nebraska. Cotton accepted Pelini's offer to return as Offensive Line Coach and also to take on the title of Assistant Head Coach, to draw upon his prior head coaching experience and assist Pelini with some of the administrative responsibilities of the head coaching position. Cotton was one of several other familiar names formerly associated with the Nebraska program that were brought back by Pelini.
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
and Offensive Line Coach
Offensive line coach
The offensive line coach is a coaching position in gridiron football that is in charge of the offensive line. This role is very common in the CFL, NFL, and college football programs. The offensive line coach serves the offense, which is led by the offensive coordinator....
for the University of Nebraska
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is a public research university located in the city of Lincoln in the U.S. state of Nebraska...
Cornhuskers
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
football team.
Early life
Barney Cotton was born in Omaha, NebraskaOmaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
on September 30, 1956, and graduated from Omaha Burke High School
Omaha Burke High School
Harry A. Burke High School is a secondary school located in Omaha, Nebraska. The principal is Dr. Deborah Frison. The school's mascot is the Bulldogs.Each year in May, the Nebraska State Track Meet is held at the school...
.
Playing career
Cotton's college playing career began in 1975 at University of NebraskaUniversity of Nebraska–Lincoln
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is a public research university located in the city of Lincoln in the U.S. state of Nebraska...
after the conclusion of his high school career at Omaha Burke. He played his first two seasons as an Offensive Lineman, then spent the next season on the other side of the ball, playing Defensive Tackle. In his senior season, he returned to the offensive line, earning All-Big-Eight
Big Eight Conference
The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...
honors while helping Tom Osborne's 1978 team to a league championship.
Cotton was a third-round pick in the 1979 NFL Draft
1979 NFL Draft
The 1979 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 3–4, 1979...
and played for one season with the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
before moving to the St Louis Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. In 1982, after three seasons with St. Louis, a knee injury forced his retirement. Cotton then returned to Nebraska, completing a bachelor’s degree in 1983.
Coaching career
Cotton began his footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coaching
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
career in 1989 when he joined the staff at St. Cloud State
St. Cloud State University
St. Cloud State University is a four-year public university founded in 1869 on the banks of the Mississippi River in St. Cloud, Minnesota, United States. The university is the largest member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system which is the largest single provider of higher...
as the Offensive Coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
and Offensive Line Coach
Offensive line coach
The offensive line coach is a coaching position in gridiron football that is in charge of the offensive line. This role is very common in the CFL, NFL, and college football programs. The offensive line coach serves the offense, which is led by the offensive coordinator....
, helping St. Cloud State to a North Central Conference
North Central Conference
The North Central Conference , also known as North Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, was a college athletic conference which operated in the north central United States. It participated in the NCAA's Division II.-History:...
championship that same year. Cotton was also a student of St. Cloud State during his coaching career there, completing his Master's Degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in Athletic Administration during his last year as their coach in 1994.
In 1995, Cotton was appointed as Head Coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
for the first time in his career, back in his home state of Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, at Hastings College
Hastings College
Hastings College is a private, undergraduate, four-year, residential liberal arts college in Hastings, Nebraska, USA.- History :The college was founded in 1882 by a group of men and women seeking to establish a Presbyterian college dedicated to high academic and cultural standards...
. In 1995, Hastings College won the Nebraska-Iowa Athletic Conference (NIAC)
Great Plains Athletic Conference
The Great Plains Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NAIA. Member institutions are located in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota...
championship and made an appearance in the NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
playoffs, and Cotton was named NIAC Coach of the Year.
In 1997, former Nebraska Cornhuskers player and New Mexico State
New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University at Las Cruces , is a major land-grant university in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States...
Head Coach Tony Samuel
Tony Samuel
Tony Samuel is an American football coach and former player. He is the current head football coach at Southeast Missouri State University, a position he has held since the 2005 season. Samuel's previous head coaching position was with New Mexico State University from 1997 to 2004...
hired Cotton to the same position he had held at St. Cloud State; Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach. Although championships eluded New Mexico State during Cotton's six years with the program, the production of his offensive players generated impressive statistics. New Mexico State ranked nationally in the top 25 in overall offense in 1998, 2000 and 2002, and was ranked nationally in the top 25 in rushing offense for all six years. In his final season, New Mexico State led the Sun Belt Conference
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
in passing efficiency, rushing offense and total offense. Six New Mexico State linemen earned All-Sunbelt Conference Honors during Cotton's tenure.
Cotton was hired by Nebraska Head Coach Frank Solich
Frank Solich
Frank Solich is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at Ohio University, a position he has held since the 2005 season...
, once again to serve as Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach, and helping Nebraska finish with a 10-3 record in 2003. Despite helping Nebraska to a national top ten rushing offense and mentoring four linemen to earn All-Big 12 Conference
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
honors, Cotton was let go along with nearly all of the other assistants after Solich was replaced by Bill Callahan following the 2003 season.
Iowa State
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
promptly hired Cotton in 2004, once again as Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach. In his first season, Iowa State overcame a soft start by finishing strong and defeating Miami (OH)
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
in the 2004 Independence Bowl
Independence Bowl
The Independence Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I college football bowl game that is played annually at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, so named because it was inaugurated in the United States bicentennial year, 1976....
. Over the following two years, Cotton guided several Iowa State players to Big 12 Conference honors before he found himself once again let go after another coaching change. Unable to find a college coaching job, he spent the following year remaining in Ames Iowa, as an unpaid volunteer coaching assistant at Ames High School
Ames High School
Ames High School is the sole high school in Ames, Story County, Iowa.-Academics:January 2008 —Ames High School has been named one of the top high schools in the country by U.S. News and World Report. In its recently released rankings, the magazine awarded Ames High School a silver medal, one of...
.
In 2008, Cotton again accepted a position with Nebraska. Former Nebraska Defensive Coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Bo Pelini
Bo Pelini
Mark "Bo" Pelini is the head football coach at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He had previously been defensive coordinator for the LSU Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, and the Nebraska Cornhuskers...
, who had also been let go along with Cotton following Solich's dismissal, was named Callahan's successor as Head Coach at Nebraska. Cotton accepted Pelini's offer to return as Offensive Line Coach and also to take on the title of Assistant Head Coach, to draw upon his prior head coaching experience and assist Pelini with some of the administrative responsibilities of the head coaching position. Cotton was one of several other familiar names formerly associated with the Nebraska program that were brought back by Pelini.