Jimmy Horn Jr. says he is the fastest man on the Colorado football team and it’s not up for debate.
“I got about ten different gears, I only use three of them,” he recently told reporters.
We’ll take the wide receiver at his word for now, but there is empirical proof that he was the fastest player to earn his jersey number. And it had nothing to do with foot speed, it was the work that he was putting in.
No numbers were given out to players when Deion Sanders arrived at Colorado, they had to be earned. So yes players literally began spring practice with jerseys that were virtual blank shells. Name, no numbers. That didn’t last long for Horn.
The transfer from South Florida impressed coaches and teammates the simplest way possible. He worked hard and every day he was the last man to leave the facility.
The work is never complete for Jimmy Horn Jr.
When practice was over in the spring and the field was cleared you could find Horn in the corner working with the Jugs machine. In the weight room when his required number of reps was complete, he would go back for even more work.
“We started working out two days a week so I got to get something extra in other than those two workouts As a receiver I got to stay strong, and stay fit,” he said.
Not only should Horn be a vital piece of the puzzle as a wide receiver, he’s a dangerous kick returner. Last season he was First-team All-AAC averaging 29.9 yards on seven returns including an 89-yard touchdown return. He was the second leading receiver for USF last season with 37 catches for 551 yards and three touchdowns. He even carried the ball nine times for 95 rushing yards and a touchdown.
When it comes to the return game, Horn is well aware he has the opportunity to learn from one of the best ever to do it.
“Coach Prime he’s a Hall of Famer at it, he already knows the basics of it, once I learn the basics my natural athletic instincts will kick in and I can do it back there.”
