Nebraska Football: Stretching Barney Cotton's Title Only Hurts Huskers

Hold off on any defense or increased hatred for Barney Cotton. Yes, he now apparently has even more duties as a tight ends coach and "run game coordinator," but there's a bigger problem for Nebraska than the length of Cotton's title.

While his responsibility to Nebraska football stretches like Silly Putty, the Huskers' coaching staff finds itself shifting like miniature tectonic plates. Just enough of a shakeup to cause a ruckus, but ultimately nothing changes.

What good does giving Cotton these new assignments do? He's going to be aided at literally every position he'll contribute to.

This all boils down to a few possibilities:

1.) Barney Cotton is the greatest humanitarian to grace the state of Nebraska in decades considering how little he makes for how much he does

2.) He simply can't be let go due to the quality of his instruction

3.) The task of firing him is being put off or ignored

Since he's staying, that means for yet another year, unless he's shifted into a comfy office chair by August or leaves of his own accord, Nebraska likely won't see a full-time quarterbacks coach.

Not to dismiss Joe Ganz's abilities, but while he and Taylor Martinez know each other down to the fingerprints, Tommy Armstrong and Johnny Stanton are just two of the seven quarterbacks on the Huskers' roster needing instruction.

Unless boosters are funding a mass field trip to Steve Calhoun's Frozen Rope Academy, Nebraska continues to handicap itself to the benefit of Cotton.

If a staff move's going to happen and he has to stick around, move him to a new recruiting war room, let John Garrison work with the offensive line and do Tim Beck a favor.

Ease his load ever so slightly.

Giving him a $335,000 raise was a great move in hindsight. It quieted head coaching overtures, but if he's to be working with all offensive assistant coaches including new graduate assistant Kyle Brey to game plan and supposedly hearing Cotton's take on every...little...thing, line up a few more greenbacks.

It's unlikely Cotton's going to be watching over Nebraska's weekly development like a hawk. Beck's not being paid that much money to be corrected by an assistant, especially considering how well the offense functioned last season.

Garrison just had his load lightened. You don't give a coach that much one-on-one time with a single unit unless they can cultivate its talent on their own.

Brye will be assisting with tight ends. Ideally he isn't interested in any career advancements in the SEC.

What does all this shuffling ultimately accomplish? Well, Cotton doesn't have to leave.

So, there's that.

What do you make of Cotton's new roles?

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