Tim Horton (American football)

Last updated
Tim Horton
Current position
TitleSpecial teams coordinator and Running backs coach
TeamAir Force Falcons
ConferenceMountain West
Biographical details
Born Conway, Arkansas
Alma mater
Playing career
1986–1989 Arkansas
Position(s) Wide receiver
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1990–1992 Appalachian State (WR/TE)
1993–1998Appalachian State (RB)
1999–2004 Air Force (WR)
2005Air Force (RB)
2006 Kansas State (RB)
2007–2012 Arkansas (RB)
2013–2016 Auburn (RB)
2017–2018Auburn (STC/RB)
2019–2020 Vanderbilt (RB)
2021–presentAir Force (STC/RB)

Tim Horton is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the special teams coordinator and running backs coach at the United States Air Force Academy. He has also had coaching stops at Appalachian State University, Kansas State University, the University of Arkansas, Auburn University, and Vanderbilt University.

Contents

Playing career

Horton played wide receiver and returned punts during his career at Arkansas from 1986 to 1989. He was a four time letterwinner, and three-year starter. As a senior, Horton was a team captain and earned second-team All-Southwest Conference honors. He helped lead the Razorbacks to four straight bowl appearances and back-to-back Southwest Conference titles in 1988 and 1989. [1]

Horton was a two time all-state running back in football and a two-time all-state sprinter in track & field while attending Conway High School in Conway, Arkansas. [2] He was inducted to the Conway High School Wampus Cat Hall of Fame in 2019, and the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2021. [3]

Coaching career

Appalachian State

Following Horton's playing career, he joined the coaching staff at Appalachian State. In his time with the Mountaineers, Horton helped guide the program to a 67–32 record during eight seasons, including Southern Conference championships in 1991 and 1995 and five NCAA Division I-AA playoff appearances. [2] He coached the wide receivers and tight ends in his first three seasons, before transitioning to the running backs prior to the 1993 season. [4]

Air Force (1st stint)

Horton was hired as the wide receivers coach at Air Force prior to the 1999 season. He held this position through the 2004 season, before switching over to running backs for the 2005 season. As a result of his work, Horton was recognized by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Colorado chapter as one of its 2004 coaches of the year. [2]

Kansas State

In 2006, Horton served as the running backs coach for the Kansas State Wildcats. He helped guide the team to a Texas Bowl appearance while mentoring future NFL running backs Thomas Clayton and James Johnson. [2]

Arkansas

In the summer of 2007, Horton joined the staff at his alma mater, Arkansas, after initially rejoining the Air Force staff as offensive coordinator. While working for Houston Nutt at Arkansas, Horton coached the running backs and served as the recruiting coordinator. He was recognized by Rivals.com and ESPN.com as one of the nation's top recruiters. In 2007 he coached Darren McFadden to his second straight Doak Walker Award and his second straight runner-up finish for the Heisman Trophy. McFadden was also a 1st team All-American and was the SEC Offensive Player of the Year. McFadden finished his career as Arkansas' all-time leading rusher and most decorated player ever. Horton also coached McFadden's back-up RB and top return specialist Felix Jones to All-America honors in 2007, plus Horton coached starting fullback and future NFL player Peyton Hillis. After Nutt resigned following the 2007 season, Horton was retained by new Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino. Horton would coach some of the best running backs Arkansas has ever had, to include Dennis Johnson, Michael Smith, Jonathan Williams and Knile Davis, all of whom earned all-SEC honors. After Petrino was fired in April 2012, Horton stayed on under interim head coach John L. Smith, but was not retained by new head coach Bret Bielema when he was hired following the 2012 season. [2]

Auburn

From 2013 through 2016, Horton coached the running backs for Gus Malzahn and the Auburn Tigers football team. He also served as the recruiting coordinator in 2015-2016 before being promoted to special teams coordinator for the 2017 season. [1]

Horton helped develop four running backs that led the SEC in rushing: Tre Mason (2013), Cameron Artis-Payne (2014), Kamryn Pettway (2016), and Kerryon Johnson (2017). Mason and Johnson both earned SEC offensive player of the year honors, and Mason was a Heisman Trophy finalist. [1]

As the special teams coordinator, Horton coached kicker Daniel Carlson, who was the SEC's special teams player of the year. Horton became the only assistant in league history to coach the SEC offensive and special teams players of the year in the same season. [1]

Vanderbilt

Horton spent two years (2019 – 2020) as the running backs coach for Derek Mason at Vanderbilt. He coached future NFL running back Ke'Shawn Vaughn. [1]

Air Force (2nd stint)

Following the dismissal of the Vanderbilt staff, Horton returned to Air Force as the special teams coordinator and running backs coach in January 2021. [5]

Personal life

Horton's father, Harold Horton is a former Razorback player and assistant coach, and won two NAIA national championships (1984, 1985) as the head coach at Central Arkansas from 1982 to 1989. He also served as an administrator for the Razorback Foundation. [4]

Tim Horton and his wife, Lauren, are the parents of a daughter, Caroline, and a son, Jackson. He earned his bachelor's degree in marketing management. [2]

Horton authored a book titled, Complete Running Back. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arkansas Razorbacks</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of the University of Arkansas

The Arkansas Razorbacks, also known as the Hogs, are the intercollegiate athletics teams representing the University of Arkansas, located in Fayetteville. The University of Arkansas student body voted to change the name of the school mascot in 1910 to the Arkansas Razorbacks after a hard-fought battle against LSU in which they were said to play like a "wild band of Razorback hogs" by former coach Hugo Bezdek. The Arkansas Razorbacks are the only major sports team in the U.S. with a porcine nickname, though the Texas A&M–Kingsville Javelinas play in Division II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Houston Nutt</span> American football player and coach (born 1957)

Houston Dale Nutt Jr. is a former American football player and coach. He formerly worked for CBS Sports as a college football studio analyst. Previously, he served as the head football coach at Murray State University (1993–1996), Boise State University (1997), the University of Arkansas (1998–2007), and the University of Mississippi (2008–2011). Nutt's all-time career winning percentage is just under 59 percent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobby Petrino</span> American football player and coach (born 1961)

Robert Patrick Petrino is an American football coach. He currently serves as the offensive coordinator for the Arkansas Razorbacks. He is the former head coach for the Missouri State Bears. Previously, he served as the head coach of the Louisville Cardinals football team from 2014 until being fired during the 2018 season. He previously held the post from 2003 to 2006. From 2008 to 2011, Petrino was the head football coach at the University of Arkansas. He was dismissed from that position in the spring of 2012 for covering up an extramarital affair with an athletic department staffer. Petrino also coached the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) for the first 13 games of the 2007 season. He spent the 2013 season as head football coach of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and 2020–2022 seasons as the head coach of the Missouri State Bears.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Auburn Tigers football team</span> American college football season

The 2006 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Head coach Tommy Tuberville served his eighth season at Auburn, the third longest tenure among current SEC head coaches that year. Offensive coordinator Al Borges returned for his third season to direct the offense and was joined by first-year defensive coordinator Will Muschamp who came from the Miami Dolphins. Auburn played its eight-game home schedule within the friendly confines of Jordan–Hare Stadium, the ninth largest on-campus stadium in the NCAA seating 87,451. The Tigers finished the season with an impressive 11–2 record, finishing second in the SEC Western Division behind the surprising Arkansas Razorbacks. With signature wins over the eventual BCS champion Florida Gators and the final-ranked #3 LSU Tigers, Auburn was the only team that could claim victories over two BCS and top five teams. However, the team also had signature losses to the unranked Arkansas Razorbacks and Georgia Bulldogs. They finished the season ranked #8 in the Coaches Poll and #9 in the AP Poll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arkansas Razorbacks football</span> College football team of the University of Arkansas

The Arkansas Razorbacks football program represents the University of Arkansas in the sport of American football. The Razorbacks compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The program has one national championship awarded by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and Helms Athletic Foundation (HAF) in 1964 and one national championship awarded by the Rothman Foundation for the Analysis of Competitions and Tournaments in 1977. The school does not claim the 1977 title. The program began in 1894 and has compiled an all-time record of 740–539–40, for a .576 winning percentage. The Razorbacks have won 13 conference championships and have had 58 players named honored as All-Americans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Arkansas Razorbacks football team</span> American college football season

The 2006 Arkansas Razorbacks football team completed the season with a 10–4 record. The Razorbacks had a regular season SEC record of 7–1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gus Malzahn</span> American football player and coach (born 1965)

Arthur Gustavo Malzahn III is an American football coach. He is currently the head coach at the University of Central Florida (UCF). He was the head football coach at Auburn University from 2013 to 2020. He helped lead the 2010 Auburn Tigers to a National Championship as the team's offensive coordinator. As head coach at Auburn, he led the team to a SEC Championship win and an appearance in the 2014 National Championship. Malzahn has coached Heisman winner Cam Newton and two Heisman finalists: Nick Marshall and Tre Mason. During Malzahn's tenure at Auburn, he qualified as the second-longest tenured head coach at one school in the SEC, behind Nick Saban. Out of active head coaches, Malzahn also holds the best record against coach Saban.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 Arkansas Razorbacks football team</span> American college football season

The 2007 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Razorbacks played six home games at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas and two home games at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 Auburn Tigers football team</span> American college football season

The 2007 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Head coach Tommy Tuberville returned for his ninth season at Auburn, the third longest tenure among SEC head coaches in 2007. He was joined by returning offensive coordinator Al Borges and returning defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. Auburn played its eight-game home schedule at Jordan–Hare Stadium, the ninth largest on-campus stadium in the NCAA in 2007, seating 87,451. Conference foe Vanderbilt returned to the schedule while non-conference opponents South Florida and Tennessee Tech played the Tigers for the first time. The Tigers finished the season ranked #14 in the Coaches Poll and #15 in the AP Poll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Arkansas Razorbacks football team</span> American college football season

The 2008 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas in the 2008 football season. The Razorbacks played five home games at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas and one home game at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas. The Razorbacks finished the season with an overall record of 5–7 and a conference record of 2–6 in Bobby Petrino's inaugural season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 Arkansas Razorbacks football team</span> American college football season

The 2009 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Razorbacks played five home games at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas and two home games at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas. Head coach Bobby Petrino was in his second season at Arkansas. The Razorbacks finished the season 8–5, 3–5 in SEC play and won the Liberty Bowl 20–17 against East Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Arkansas Razorbacks football team</span> American college football season

The 2010 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team played five home games at Razorback Stadium and two home games at War Memorial Stadium. Coach Bobby Petrino was in his third year with the Razorbacks. They were members of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference. The Razorbacks finished the season 10–2, 6–2 in SEC play and earned a berth in the Sugar Bowl, their first major bowl appearance since playing in the 1990 Cotton Bowl Classic, where they were defeated by Ohio State by a 31–26 score.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Arkansas Razorbacks football team</span> American college football season

The 2011 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represents the University of Arkansas in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Razorbacks were led by fourth year head coach Bobby Petrino and played five home games at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium and two at War Memorial Stadium. They are a member of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference. They finished the season with an 11–2 overall record, 6–2 in SEC West Division play, finishing in 3rd place with losses to LSU and Alabama, the two teams that played in the BCS National Championship Game. They were invited to the 2012 Cotton Bowl Classic and defeated Kansas State 29–16. The win capped off only the third 11-win season in Arkansas' 119-year football history. They also finished fifth in the final AP Poll—their highest national ranking since finishing third in 1977. Tyler Wilson became the first Arkansas QB to be voted 1st Team All-SEC. WR Jarius Wright and DE Jake Bequette were also named 1st Team All-SEC. WR Joe Adams was also placed on the 1st Team All-SEC squad, as well as being named a consensus 1st team All-American as a punt returner, and won the inaugural Jet Award given to the nation's best return specialist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Southeastern Conference football season</span> Sports season

The 2011 Southeastern Conference football season began on Thursday, September 1, 2011 with Kentucky taking on Western Kentucky on ESPNU. The season concluded on January 9, 2012 as the Alabama Crimson Tide shut out LSU Tigers, 21–0 in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans to claim their 14th national championship in school history. It was also the final season for the SEC before Texas A&M and Missouri joined the conference from the Big 12 the following season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Arkansas Razorbacks football team</span> American college football season

The 2015 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas during the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Razorbacks played their home games at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville and War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. They competed as a member of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference. Arkansas was led by third-year head coach Bret Bielema. Dan Enos served his first season as offensive coordinator, replacing Jim Chaney who left for a job with Pittsburgh. Enos was previously the head coach of Central Michigan.

The 2009 All-SEC football team consists of American football players selected to the All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) chosen by the Associated Press (AP) and the conference coaches for the 2009 Southeastern Conference football season. Coaches could not vote for their own players, making a selection to 11 of the 12 coaches' squads earn one a unanimous selection.

The 2007 All-SEC football team consists of American football players selected to the All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) chosen by the Associated Press (AP) and the conference coaches for the 2007 college football season.

The 2006 All-SEC football team consists of American football players selected to the All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) chosen by the Associated Press (AP) and the conference coaches for the 2006 college football season.

Harold Horton is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) from 1982 to 1989, compiling a record of 74–12–5 and winning back-to-back NAIA Division I Football National Championships, in 1984 and 1985. His UCA Bears teams also won seven straight Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference (AIC) championships from 1983 to 1989.

Herb Hand is an American football coach who is currently the offensive line coach for the UCF Knights. Prior to that, he was the co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for the Texas Longhorns.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Tim Horton". vucommodores.com. Vanderbilt University SID. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Tim Horton". auburntigers.com. Auburn University SID. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  3. "Tim Horton". goairforcegalcons.com. United States Air Force Academy SID. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  4. 1 2 "Former Razorback Tim Horton Named As UA Running Backs Coach". arkansasrazorbacks.com. University of Arkansas SID. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  5. Stultz, Brian (21 January 2021). "Former Auburn coach Tim Horton hired as Air Force running backs coach". auburnwire.usatoday.com. USA Today. Retrieved 15 April 2022.