Former Nebraska Cornhuskers player and assistant coach Barney Cotton, 63, underwent a successful heart transplant on Tuesday.

Mark Anderson, UNLV beat writer for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, confirmed the news:

An Omaha native, Cotton played for Nebraska from 1975-79. Selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the third round of the 1979 National Football League Draft, he last played in the league with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1981.

Getting his start in coaching as the offensive coordinator/offensive line coach at St. Cloud State (Minnesota) from 1989-94, Cotton originally joined the Cornhuskers in the same role in 2003.

Following three years at Iowa State and a year at Ames (Iowa) High School, he returned to Nebraska in 2008, where he stayed until 2014.

Serving as the interim head coach following the dismissal of Bo Pelini in November 2014, Cotton guided the Huskers to a 45-42 loss at the hands of the USC Trojans in the Holiday Bowl.

He joined Tony Sanchez’s staff at UNLV in 2015 as the program’s offensive coordinator and tight ends coach; Cotton stepped down in July in preparation for the procedure.

Facing a long recovery, Cotton hopes to return to coaching.