Huskers recruit Sam Cotton, the only in-state football player for NU’s 2012 signing class

There was an air of nervousness inside Prasch Gymnasium before the athletes of Lincoln Southeast High School signed letters of intent to their college.

Ten athletes, five boys and five girls, sat along a long black table draped with a Knights-themed table cloth in front of their family, friends and members of the media.

But one boy stood out. He wasn't the biggest, he didn't look the fastest or the most athletic, but he was the reason the cameras rolled out. He was the reason for the circus.

He is Sam Cotton, the only in-state football player in Nebraska's 2012 signing class.

And when the microphone arrived for Cotton to make a statement about why he chose Nebraska to the gathered crowd, the answer to come was obvious.

"I chose Nebraska because I've always wanted to play for my dad," Cotton said.

A chorus of "aww"s rang down from the bleachers as the high-school girls gushed at what Cotton had just said.

Sam is the son of NU associate head coach Barney Cotton, and playing for his father has always been a dream of the 6-foot-4 235 pound tight end.

"(My dad) has always talked to me about workouts and stuff and what I've gotta do to finally get to play for him, so he's not just giving me input on what I need to do, he's actually there to change it and make me better on the spot," Cotton said.

And the father-son dynamic is a good thing for Nebraska, NU coach Bo Pelini said.

In the Huskers signing day press conference Pelini joked about having to deal with the Cottons on their recruiting visit.

"It's getting pretty ridiculous, isn't it?" Pelini said. "The worst part about it is having to spend time with him and talk to him like he's a father. When he came on the visit, I was like we already have been through this before, can't you tell him?"

But the Huskers are getting more than just the son of an assistant coach. Cotton is a three-star tight end recruit according to 247sports.com and brings as much talent, if not more, than his older brother at the top of the depth chart.

"It's good. I think he's a talented young guy and I think he's very similar to what Ben was at this time, maybe a little ahead of where Ben was when we recruited him a few years ago," Pelini said. "Hopefully he develops the same way and brings the same things to the table. I'd take another Ben Cotton in a second."

But it isn't likely Sam Cotton will make an immediate splash at Memorial Stadium, and he's OK with that. Sam's older brother Ben started 11 games at the tight end position for NU in 2011.  

"If I can challenge Ben for a depth-chart spot, then I think the team is in big trouble," Sam Cotton said. "But I'll come in and compete and try and get my spot on the team. I'm not just gonna take any days off or anything like that."

And Cotton isn't going to take days off because during this entire recruiting process, he hasn't been able to take things for granted. Even though he's the coach's son, he was still afraid that only other schools would be giving him offers.

So when the hometown Huskers gave him a call offering Cotton a scholarship he was excited, but that wasn't the only feeling.

"It really was a relief," Cotton said. "After I got done with a long camp, it had been a few weeks and I was starting to get worried that maybe they didn't like what they saw.

"And then after being really worried about it I got a call from Bo and got the offer."

robbykorth@

dailynebraskan.com