Gophers' list of candidates for coordinator job grows

Last update: January 14, 2009 - 7:25 AM

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Here's another name to add to Gophers coach Tim Brewster's list of potential offensive coordinators: Jeff Horton.

A person with knowledge of the search process confirmed Tuesday that Horton, most recently an assistant coach with the St. Louis Rams, is on Brewster's ever-narrowing list of candidates to replace Mike Dunbar. Brewster said Tuesday afternoon that he is still interviewing candidates for the job.

Horton, who began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Minnesota in 1984, spent the past three seasons in St. Louis. The first two were as a special offensive assistant to head coach Scott Linehan. When Linehan was fired in 2008, Horton was moved by interim coach Jim Haslett to assistant offensive line coach.

Before joining the Rams, Horton was quarterbacks coach at Wisconsin for seven seasons (1999-2005), mentoring the likes of Jim Sorgi, Brooks Bollinger and John Stocco in the Badgers' power-running offense. His stay at Wisconsin overlapped for five seasons with Kevin Cosgrove, who was recently hired as the Gophers' defensive coordinator.

After his year at Minnesota, Horton was an assistant and head coach at both Nevada and UNLV. His overall record as a head coach at the two schools was 20-48.

Horton would seem to have a background both in power running offenses and in more wide-open attacks. His Nevada offense was top-ranked in the country in 1993. Working with Linehan -- the former offensive coordinator with the Vikings under Mike Tice -- would have given Horton more experience with Linehan's wide-open approach.

KENT YOUNGBLOOD

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