Jeff Horton

Last updated
Jeff Horton
Current position
TitleRunning backs coach
Team San Diego State
Conference MW
Biographical details
Born (1957-07-13) July 13, 1957 (age 66)
Arlington, Texas, U.S.
Alma mater University of Nevada, Reno (B.A.)
University of San Francisco (M.A.)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1984 Minnesota (GA)
1985–1989 Nevada (WR/RB/ST)
1990–1991 UNLV (AHC)
1992Nevada (WR)
1993Nevada
1994–1998UNLV
1999–2005 Wisconsin (QB)
2006 St. Louis Rams (OL)
2007–2008St. Louis Rams (assistant)
2009 Detroit Lions (QB)
2010Minnesota (OC/QB)
2010Minnesota (interim HC)
2011–2014 San Diego State (AHC/RB)
2015–2019San Diego State (AHC/OC/RB)
2020–2022San Diego State (RB)
Head coaching record
Overall22–51
Bowls1–0
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 Big West (1994)
Awards
Big West Coach of the Year (1994)

Jeffrey Scott Horton (born July 13, 1957) is an American football coach. He is currently the running backs coach at San Diego State University. He was the interim head coach at the University of Minnesota, having replaced Tim Brewster, who was fired midway through the Golden Gophers' 2010 season. Horton previously served as the head coach at the University of Nevada, Reno in 1993 and at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas from 1994 to 1998. From 2006 to 2008, he was a special assistant/offense and assistant offensive line coach for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League (NFL), where he worked under head coach Scott Linehan. Horton coached the quarterbacks for the NFL's Detroit Lions in 2009.

Contents

Coaching career

Early coaching career

Horton's first coaching job was as a graduate assistant for Minnesota in 1984 under Lou Holtz. The following year, he joined his alma mater as assistant in Reno. In 1990 and 1991, he was the wide receivers coach. In 1992, he left to become the Wide Receivers coach at UNLV.

Head coach at Nevada

After the 1992 football season ended, Wolf Pack head coach Chris Ault stepped down to focus on his duties as the university's athletic director. Horton was Ault's hand-picked successor, and he returned from Las Vegas to take over as head coach of the Wolf Pack. Horton lead Nevada to a 7–4 record and a second-place finish in the Big West Conference.

Head coach at UNLV

Following the 1993 season, Horton accepted the head coaching position at in-state rival UNLV, a move commonly referred to as the "Red Defection" by Wolf Pack fans. His first season, 1994, the Rebels won the Big West title and the Las Vegas Bowl, winning Horton that conference's Coach of the Year award.

However, this would not last, and Horton would win only six more games over the next three years. He was fired after the Rebels finished 0–11 in the 1998 season, the only winless season in school history until the 2020 UNLV team finished 0–6 under head coach Marcus Arroyo.

Wisconsin

After being fired, he was hired as the quarterbacks coach for the Wisconsin Badgers. The quarterbacks during his tenure (Jim Sorgi, Brooks Bollinger, and John Stocco), rank first, second, and fourth in Badgers history in passing yards.

St. Louis Rams

Horton was hired as the special assistant/offense to the St. Louis Rams. In that position, he assisted head coach Scott Linehan with administrative duties, offensive play-calling, and preparation.

Detroit Lions

Horton spent one season (2009) with the Detroit Lions as the quarterbacks coach.

Minnesota

Horton was hired by Minnesota coach Tim Brewster in January 2010, after Jedd Fisch left to be the quarterbacks coach for the NFL Seattle Seahawks. On October 17, 2010, Brewster was relieved of his head coaching duties. Horton was tapped to replace Brewster on an interim basis. He went 2–3 as coach, beating the Iowa Hawkeyes on November 27 to win the Floyd of Rosedale trophy. It was the first trophy-game win for the Gophers since before Brewster took over.

San Diego State

Horton was the running backs coach and formerly the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at San Diego State University.

Head coaching record

YearTeamOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs
Nevada Wolf Pack (Big West Conference)(1993)
1993 Nevada 7–45–23rd
Nevada:7–45–2
UNLV Rebels (Big West Conference)(1994–1995)
1994 UNLV 7–55–1T–1stW Las Vegas
1995 UNLV 2–91–510th
UNLV Rebels (Western Athletic Conference)(1996–1998)
1996 UNLV 1–111–88th (Pacific)
1997 UNLV 3–82–67th (Pacific)
1998 UNLV 0–110–88th (Mountain)
UNLV:13–449–30
Minnesota Golden Gophers (Big Ten Conference)(2010)
2010 Minnesota 2–3 [n 1] 2–3T–9th
Minnesota:2–32–3
Total:22–51

Notes

  1. Horton served as interim head coach after Tim Brewster was fired.

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