Darrin Horn

Darrin Horn
Sport(s) Basketball
Current position
Title Assistant Coach
Team Texas
Biographical details
Born December 24, 1972
Glasgow, Kentucky
Playing career
1991–1995 Western Kentucky
Position(s) Guard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1995–1997
1997–1999
1999–2003
2003–2008
2008–2012
2015–present
Western Kentucky (asst.)
Morehead State (asst.)
Marquette (asst.)
Western Kentucky
South Carolina
Texas (asst.)
Head coaching record
Overall 171–112 (.604)
Accomplishments and honors

Championships

Sun Belt Regular Season Championship (2006)
Sun Belt Tournament Championship (2008)

Darrin Horn (born December 24, 1972) is a former American college basketball head coach, having served as the head coach for the Division I (NCAA) programs at Western Kentucky University and, most recently, at the University of South Carolina.[1]

Player

Born in Kentucky, Horn played guard for the 1991 KHSAA state runner-up Tates Creek High School Commodores in Lexington, Kentucky for coach Nolan Barger.[2]

In college, Horn played for Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers in Bowling Green, Kentucky from 1991 to 1995.[3] He was a crowd favorite, hitting a game-winning three-pointer to defeat the University of Louisville on February 16, 1993, in Freedom Hall.[4] While Horn played at WKU, the team made it to the NCAA Tournament three times, defeating Memphis State (led by Anfernee Hardaway) and Seton Hall in 1993 before losing to Florida State University; losing to the University of Texas in the first round in 1994; and defeating the University of Michigan before losing to the University of Kansas (led by Greg Ostertag) in 1995.[5] Horn played for Ralph Willard and Matt Kilcullen while at WKU.

Assistant Coach

Horn served as an assistant coach from 1995–1997 at WKU for then-coach Matt Kilcullen before departing for Morehead State University to serve under Kyle Macy for two seasons before departing for Marquette.[6]

He was an assistant coach at Marquette University under Tom Crean. That Marquette team was led by future NBA players Dwyane Wade and Travis Diener.[7] Crean and Horn first crossed paths when Horn played at WKU and Crean was an assistant for the Hilltoppers under head coach Ralph Willard.

Head Coach

After his tenure at Marquette, Horn was hired as the head coach at Western Kentucky University to replace Dennis Felton, who left for the University of Georgia after three trips to the NCAA Tournament. Prior to his hiring, Travis Diener recommended Horn to the then-WKU athletic director Wood Selig.[8]

Horn compiled a record of 111–48 in five seasons at his alma mater, WKU. He led the Hilltoppers to the Sweet 16, the third round of the 2008 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament,[9] a tournament run that included one of the most celebrated buzzer beaters in college basketball history, a three-pointer by Ty Rogers against Drake in overtime.[10] Their run ended with a 10-point loss to top-seeded UCLA.[11]

On April 1, 2008, Horn was hired as the new men's coach at the University of South Carolina, replacing Dave Odom.[1]

On March 13, 2012, he was fired as head coach of the Gamecocks after going 60-63 in 4 seasons with only one postseason appearance.[12]

Coaching Style

Horn's teams are known for their up-tempo style of play, full-court trapping defense and conditioning. While at WKU, Horn's teams averaged 47% field goal accuracy and averaged approximately 77 points per game.[13]

Former players in the NBA

Darrin Horn Coaching Tree

Personal life

Horn is married to Carla Walker Horn of Franklin, Tennessee. The couple has one daughter, Caroline, and one son, Walker.[19]

Head coaching record

Source[20]

Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Western Kentucky (Sun Belt Conference) (2003–2008)
2003–04 Western Kentucky 15–13 8–6 5th
2004–05 Western Kentucky 22–9 9–5 2nd (East) NIT 2nd Round
2005–06 Western Kentucky 23–8 12–2 1st (East) NIT 1st Round
2006–07 Western Kentucky 22–11 12–6 2nd (East)
2007–08 Western Kentucky 29–7 16–2 T–1st (East) NCAA Sweet Sixteen
Western Kentucky: 111–48 (.698) 57–21 (.731)
South Carolina Gamecocks (Southeastern Conference) (2008–2012)
2008–09 South Carolina 21–10 10–6 2nd(East) NIT 1st Round
2009–10 South Carolina 15–16 6–10 5th (East)
2010–11 South Carolina 14–16 5–11 6th (East)
2011–12 South Carolina 10–21 2–14 12th (Overall)
South Carolina: 60–63 (.488) 23–41 (.359)
Total: 171–112 (.604)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Western Kentucky coach Horn leaving for S. Carolina - Men's College Basketball - ESPN". Sports.espn.go.com. 2008-04-01. Retrieved 2012-04-30.
  2. http://www.thestate.com/2008/04/06/367040/morris-darrin-horn-action-man.html
  3. http://espn1420.com/jays-memorable-moment-5-toppers-topped/
  4. "Hilltopper Flashbacks". Hilltopper Haven. Retrieved 2012-04-30.
  5. "NCAA Basketball Tournament History: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers - ESPN". Espn.go.com. 2011-01-02. Retrieved 2012-04-30.
  6. http://www.allcoachnetwork.com/horn/bio.html
  7. http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/082609aab.html
  8. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/15510-south-carolina-basketball-hires-darrin-horn
  9. http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=284000038
  10. "VOTE: Is Rogers' Buzzer-Beater the Best of All-Time? - Western Kentucky University Official Athletics Site". Wkusports.com. Retrieved 2012-04-30.
  11. http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=284000038
  12. "Darrin Horn fired by South Carolina". WRDW-TV Augusta. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
  13. http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/horn_darrin00.html
  14. http://www.umassathletics.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/allison_andy00.html
  15. http://www.highpointpanthers.com/coaches.aspx?rc=321&path=mbball
  16. http://www.highpointpanthers.com/news/2009/3/26/4494685.aspx
  17. http://www.daytonflyers.com/mens/basketball/roster/?player_id=661
  18. http://www.goracers.com/coaches.aspx?rc=510&path=mbball
  19. http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/7wYFBTu3_4c/NCAA+Basketball+Tournament+Tampa+Second+Round/Y-aoYP-sWO1/Carla+Horn
  20. Darrin Horn. sports-reference.com

External links