Jeff Horton announces retirement

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Winning the Pig was a great way for Adam Weber to finish his career. I’ll always wonder what he could have accomplished under a stable coaching situation. Thanks Coach Horton for salvaging the 2010 season.
 

I was as proud of, and happy for, any Gopher team I can recall - the day in 2010 when they went to Champaign, after 9 straight losses and a recent coaching change, and beat the Illini. I’m not embarrassed to say I actually and spontaneously got a little choked up. I felt like we had hit rock bottom, and that was a 1st small step to climbing out of the abyss. Thanks, Coach Horton!! Best wishes to you!
 




Always felt bad that Kill couldn't find a spot for Horton on his staff. Horton clearly has many supporters here in Minnesota. Good luck and have fun in retirement!
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
One of my favorite Gopher moments of all time.
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I can't decide if it's totally understandable or in some ways pathetic that the Horton team beating Iowa was actually one of those "I remember where I was" when it happened. It definitely has something to do with where I actually was, but I remember being shocked and just immensely happy
 



Ogee Ogilthorpe said:
I can't decide if it's totally understandable or in some ways pathetic that the Horton team beating Iowa was actually one of those "I remember where I was" when it happened. It definitely has something to do with where I actually was, but I remember being shocked and just immensely happy
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I get what you're saying, and I don't think it's pathetic. That may have literally the rock bottom moment in modern Gopher FB history and was extremely memorable, it was the first rung leading to our current status on the ladder IMO.
 

for me, it's simple.

Horton did his best to restore sanity to the Gopher FB program after what became the insanity of the Brewster years - especially at the end.

I suspect for the players, it was a relief to have an adult in charge.

would have had no problem with Horton getting a shot at the HC opening.
 

Brewster made a lot of mistakes during his brief time at Minnesota. But perhaps the biggest mistake he made was not hiring Jeff Horton to run the offense and instead hiring Jedd Fisch. Corrected it the following year after Fisch left and brought Horton in to run the offense.

Horton was a great guy and will always be remembered fondly around here for the 2010 Iowa victory.
 

Horton's HC record at UNLV was pretty pathetic. I don't think there ever was a chance he would get the HC position in Minnesota.
 



nitramnaed said:
Horton's HC record at UNLV was pretty pathetic. I don't think there ever was a chance he would get the HC position in Minnesota.
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Yeah I don't want to rain on the parade and by all accounts he's a great guy, but that would have been a horrible HC hire.
 

Gophers1992 said:
Yeah I don't want to rain on the parade and by all accounts he's a great guy, but that would have been a horrible HC hire.
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What parade exactly would you be raining on? He was never a serious candidate to be the head coach here and I don't see anyone really saying he should have been.

He was a well liked assistant who filled in at the end of the 2010 season and was the head coach for the memorable victory over Iowa.
 

MNVCGUY said:
What parade exactly would you be raining on? He was never a serious candidate to be the head coach here and I don't see anyone really saying he should have been.

He was a well liked assistant who filled in at the end of the 2010 season and was the head coach for the memorable victory over Iowa.
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I just meant I didn't want to come in to a thread that is celebrating Horton and rip on him.

I'm sure the university never considered him a serious candidate, but a small portion of the fan base wanted him to be considered.
 

Gophers1992 said:
I just meant I didn't want to come in to a thread that is celebrating Horton and rip on him.

I'm sure the university never considered him a serious candidate, but a small portion of the fan base wanted him to be considered.
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Sid.
 





Was it the post game on field interview after the Illinois or Iowa game when he said something to the effect of, these kids ain't losers.
 

spermophilus said:
I was as proud of, and happy for, any Gopher team I can recall - the day in 2010 when they went to Champaign, after 9 straight losses and a recent coaching change, and beat the Illini. I’m not embarrassed to say I actually and spontaneously got a little choked up. I felt like we had hit rock bottom, and that was a 1st small step to climbing out of the abyss. Thanks, Coach Horton!! Best wishes to you!
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Yes! I felt the same way watching that Illinois game. They looked dead in the water with just a few minutes left. A tremendous kickoff return by Stoudermire, a rare stop and some clutch plays by Weber and Bennett provided a joyous and wholly unexpected conclusion. That team had gone through so much. The emotion they showed on the field at the gun got to me as well. I live in San Diego and some years later Horton was the o-coordinator for the Aztecs. I sent him a letter thanking him for restoring a semblance of order to that team and for those two unforgettable wins. He actually wrote back!
 
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BroncoRedux said:
I actually have a photograph of Sid inscribed with "To my close personal friend" and then my name. It only cost my sister-in-law $25 and she gave it to me as a X-Mass present. Count me as one of the masses.
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The greatest photo I ever got at a Gopher spring game was my two kids standing with Sid Hartman. My kids had absolutely no idea who he was but I did my best to explain afterwards.
 

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