ORANGEBURG, SC—South Carolina head coach Buddy Pough has added a new addition to the coaching staff with the hire of linebackers coach Ben Barton.

Barton, a native of Tyler, Texas, spent the 2013 season as defensive graduate assistant at Louisiana Tech in Ruston, Louisiana.
 
Prior, to Louisiana Tech, Barton coached at Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, Kansas.  While there, he worked with the linebackers and was the punt return coordinator while being responsible for recruiting throughout Florida and Kansas. Two of his three linebackers led the conference in tackles, while one of his linebackers was an All-American and led the nation in tackles.
 
Before Coffeyville, Barton was the defensive coordinator for a year at Sky View High School in Smithville, Utah, while serving as a defensive graduate assistant at New Mexico State in 2010, where he worked on the defense with the linebackers and helped run some of the Aggies football camps.
 
During the 2009 season, Barton worked with the scout team and coach Kevin Clune at Utah State, where he was a defensive quality control assistant. Prior to Utah State, Barton spent one season with the University of San Diego football team, helping now assistant head coach Dale Lindsey. During his time with the Toreros, Barton worked with the scout team and linebackers.
 
A graduate from the University of Nebraska, he also was a student-assistant for the Huskers football program from 2006-07.