Three will soon be company on the Nebraska football team when it comes to the last name Cotton.
And it’s one with family ties.
Lincoln Southeast senior Jake Cotton said Monday he has given his verbal pledge to join his dad, NU offensive line coach Barney Cotton, and older brother Ben, a sophomore tight end for the Huskers. The middle of three brothers spoke publicly about the pledge, Nebraska’s 15th-known commitment, that he gave to the Huskers just less than a month ago.
“It was exciting when they did (offer) and to get a chance to play for my dad and the staff,” Jake Cotton said.
The 6-foot-7, 265-pound Cotton is expected to play on the defensive line at Nebraska. Cotton said he kept his plans quiet until after Southeast’s season was over so that it wouldn’t be a distraction to the team. The Knights were eliminated from the Class A playoffs Friday night, losing 14-7 to Lincoln Southwest in the quarterfinals.
“He is very team orientated,” Southeast coach John Larsen said. “He wants to make sure the team comes first. When he told me that he wanted to (wait on an announcement), I thought that was very mature of him. That’s why the kids voted him captain.”
Jake said the offer came from Nebraska “around week six” of the high school season. He said he waited a few days before telling defensive coordinator Carl Pelini that he was committing to the Huskers.
Before he even told his dad.
“I realized it was kind of delaying the inevitable,” he said. “For me it’s more of a chance to play for my dad and the family atmosphere rather than the game day atmosphere or things like that.”
He said the NU staff made it clear that its interest in him went much further than just as Barney’s son.
“They wanted me,” Jake said. “Throughout the whole thing they said, ‘We like you, but not because of your dad.’ They told me, ‘This is definitely not just because of your dad.’ I appreciate them emphasizing that fact.”
What did the coaches see in him? Larsen said his size and added strength during the past year were hard not to notice. Cotton went from a tight end and defensive end a season ago to an offensive lineman and defensive tackle this year after putting on more than 40 pounds.
“When he rushes the passer, it’s hard for people to throw over him,” Larsen said, “and you can get a piece of him as a blocker, but because of his wingspan, he has a chance to reach out and get a piece of ball carriers. He put on that weight and his whole demeanor changed. He became more aggressive, more physical. He had an increase in confidence. And Jake plays that way every single down in practice and in games.”
Cotton joins Aurora offensive lineman Andrew Rodriguez and Waverly quarterback/defensive back Tyler Evans as Nebraska high school seniors in the class of 2010. His only other offers came from Division II University of Nebraska at Omaha and Northwest Missouri State.
Contact the writer:
850-0781, nickrubek@hotmail.com
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