Football
Sep 13 (Sat)
7:45 pm MT
- Title:
- Running Backs, Special Teams Coordinator
Tim Horton is in his fifth season as running backs coach and special teams coordinator at Air Force. Horton returned to the Academy in 2021 after coaching wide receivers and running backs under legendary Air Force head coach Fisher DeBerry from 1999-2005.
In Horton’s four seasons with the Falcons, the offense led the nation in rushing in 2021 with a 327.7 average and in 2022 with a 326.7 norm. With the emergence of DeAndre Hughes in 2021 and John Lee Eldridge III in 2022, the Falcons had back-to-back 10-win seasons and bowl victories over Louisville and Baylor.
The kicking game has flourished with kicker Matthew Dapore, a Lou Groza Award National Placekicker of the Year semifinalist, and punter Luke Freer, who was a second-team all-Mountain West selection in 2024. Freer broke the school record set in 1985 for punting average with a 47.5 mark. He would have ranked fourth nationally, but lacked enough attempts to qualify. Dapore finished his career as Air Force’s all-time leading scorer with 270 points.
Horton came to the Academy after spending the previous two years as running backs coach at Vanderbilt. Horton has a wealth of experience in the Southeastern Conference, coaching for over a decade as an offensive assistant at Auburn and Arkansas. During that time, he coached five SEC Players of the Year and nine all-conference running backs.
In 2019, Horton’s top Vanderbilt pupil Ke’Shawn Vaughn topped the Commodore offense with 1,298 all-purpose yards. Vaughn went on to be selected by the Tampa Buccaneers with the 76th overall pick of the NFL Draft.
From 2013-18, Horton served as Auburn’s running backs coach. He also served as the Tigers’ recruiting co-ordinator in 2015-16. In 2018, JaTarvious Whitlow earned All-SEC freshman recognition.
From 2013-18, Horton coached four running backs that paced the SEC in rushing: Heisman Trophy finalist 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 during Horton’s tenure.
In 2013, Auburn became the first and only SEC team to lead the nation in rushing. In 2017, Horton coordinated special teams for the Tigers and 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.
From 2007-12, Horton served a similar capacity at the Arkansas where he starred as an undergraduate in the late 1980s. At Arkansas, where he was also recruiting coordinator, Horton was one of just two coaches in the nation to coach four different 1,000-yard rushers from 2007-10, including 2007 Doak Walker Award winner Darren McFadden and All-American Felix Jones.
Horton has played or coached in 19 bowl games, including the 2013 NCAA national championship game.
Horton has also succeeded in preparing running backs for the NFL. Thirteen different running backs coached by Horton have become NFL starters, including McFadden, Jones, Peyton Hillis, Mason, Artis-Payne, Payton Barber and Johnson.
Prior to coaching at Arkansas, Horton spent the 2006 season as the running backs coach at Kansas State and was the wide receivers and running backs coach at Air Force from 1999-2005. The Falcons led the nation in rushing in 2002. He began his coaching career at Appalachian State in 1990, helping 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.
Horton was a four-year letterwinner at Arkansas, starting as a split end and punt returner from 1987-89. As a senior captain, Horton earned second-team All-SWC honors. During Horton’s Arkansas playing career, the Razorbacks compiled a 38-11 record, won back-to-back SWC titles (1988-89) and appeared in four straight bowl games. His senior class is the winningest in program history. In 2019, Horton was inducted into the inaugural Conway, Ark., High School Wampus Cat Hall of Fame and in 2021, he was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.
Horton and his wife, Lauren, are the parents of a daughter, Caroline, and a son, Jackson.
