What Will CC Decide?

[EastHallApp]

Darrin Horn is an interesting name to throw into the hat. There are a few potential problems with Darrin Horn. I don't know how his buy-out with South Carolina works. becoming a head coach again might mess with his buy-out and not coaching for SC would probably pay better than coaching for App State.

I also don't know his salary situation at Western Kentucky but they are a basketball first school and I'm sure paid considerably better than we are able. I'm not sure he's interested in coaching at this level and with the APR issues and fan-base issues.

I don't know the answers to these questions but if you know click reply.

Those are good questions and I don't know the answers either. However, one thing I would point out - he's only 41 and presumably wants to continue his coaching career, so even if taking a new job might cost him some buyout money in the short term, it's probably better for his long-term future than sitting around collecting paychecks.

Now, whether he would want the App job, would have an opportunity at another small school, or might prefer an assistant job somewhere, is anyone's guess.

[hapapp]

Darrin Horn is an interesting name to throw into the hat. There are a few potential problems with Darrin Horn. I don't know how his buy-out with South Carolina works. becoming a head coach again might mess with his buy-out and not coaching for SC would probably pay better than coaching for App State.

I also don't know his salary situation at Western Kentucky but they are a basketball first school and I'm sure paid considerably better than we are able. I'm not sure he's interested in coaching at this level and with the APR issues and fan-base issues.

I don't know the answers to these questions but if you know click reply.

Those are good questions and I don't know the answers either. However, one thing I would point out - he's only 41 and presumably wants to continue his coaching career, so even if taking a new job might cost him some buyout money in the short term, it's probably better for his long-term future than sitting around collecting paychecks.

Now, whether he would want the App job, would have an opportunity at another small school, or might prefer an assistant job somewhere, is anyone's guess.

He had success in the SBC, that might lure him back into coaching in that league.

[asu66]

Our old buddy 626Steve lived in Columbia when Horn was at USC. His comments sent me digging and one article I found scared me. Decide for yourself, folks... I dunno know about Horn, now. I was leaning his way until I read this stuff...seems like 100 reasons NOT to hire Darrin Horn...

http://www.dixiefriedsports.com/No_Prog ... _Horn.html

Just four reasons are enough for me...his USC teams weren't well-coached; he was black-listed by Georgia and South Carolina high school coaches; he refused to become a part of the Columbia community; and he stiffed the press at every opportunity--failing to show up for talk shows and interviews. No way, Jose'!

[JCline0429]

Our old buddy 626Steve lived in Columbia when Horn was at USC. His comments sent me digging and one article I found scared me. Decide for yourself, folks... I dunno know about Horn, now. I was leaning his way until I read this stuff...seems like 100 reasons NOT to hire Darrin Horn...

http://www.dixiefriedsports.com/No_Prog ... _Horn.html

Just four reasons are enough for me...his USC teams weren't well-coached; he was black-listed by Georgia and South Carolina high school coaches; he refused to become a part of the Columbia community; and he stiffed the press at every opportunity--failing to show up for talk shows and interviews. No way, Jose'!

Chuck, are you talking about S. Samples as 626? He and I rode together to an Elon game. I believe it was our first game in Rhodes.

[Kgfish]

Something doesn't smell right. As far as I can tell he had none of these issues at WKY. We all know how ridiculously over the top SC fans can be. I'd like to know the circumstances behind some of those issues. I've been told by someone who has spoken to Horn the situation at SC was almost unbearable and had he known the full story he would have stayed at WKU. All I'm saying is there are always at least two sides to every story. In some cases more than rwo.

[hapapp]

It certainly doesn't paint a good picture of him. He had did have success at WKU. I wonder what their fans think of him. USC has had only one winning season in the last 8 and that was with Horn at the helm. Odom's last two years were below .500 and Martin's first two have also been below .500. I think the most damning aspect is his relationship with the community and the media. We certainly don't need any more negative press than we have had.

[hapapp]

The Sun Belt fans obviously have a higher opinion of him. A couple have responded to my query about him with positive statements.

[EastHallApp]

Our old buddy 626Steve lived in Columbia when Horn was at USC. His comments sent me digging and one article I found scared me. Decide for yourself, folks... I dunno know about Horn, now. I was leaning his way until I read this stuff...seems like 100 reasons NOT to hire Darrin Horn...

http://www.dixiefriedsports.com/No_Prog ... _Horn.html

Just four reasons are enough for me...his USC teams weren't well-coached; he was black-listed by Georgia and South Carolina high school coaches; he refused to become a part of the Columbia community; and he stiffed the press at every opportunity--failing to show up for talk shows and interviews. No way, Jose'!

Well we know he didn't do well at South Carolina, so it's to be expected that their fans wouldn't say nice things about him.

That post is written at such an amateur level that I think you have to take the whole thing with a full shaker of salt. It basically reads like an extended message board rant. Not enough detail or specifics to evaluate any of those charges IMO.

I'm more interested in black-and-white results than the opinion of an angry blogger. I can tell he flopped in the SEC, but I can also see that his record in the Sun Belt was very good.

[asu66]

The Sun Belt fans obviously have a higher opinion of him. A couple have responded to my query about him with positive statements.

Interesting and positive info. Not certain but what we're going to hear more about this fellow before it's all said and done. I'm still leary of the info about HS coaches black-balling Horn in GA and SC. Those are two of our biggest BkB recruiting states.

He'd have to accept something like a 1.2 mil salary over four years. That's $300,000 per year. Methinks that's about as far as CC would go unless some "name" candidate suddenly emerges.

It's going to be interesting if Murray St. and VMI both win tomorrow and play each other Thursday night. Two rumored candidates facing each other across the court in a post-season championship game. Some drama there.

[asu66]

Our old buddy 626Steve lived in Columbia when Horn was at USC. His comments sent me digging and one article I found scared me. Decide for yourself, folks... I dunno know about Horn, now. I was leaning his way until I read this stuff...seems like 100 reasons NOT to hire Darrin Horn...

http://www.dixiefriedsports.com/No_Prog ... _Horn.html

Just four reasons are enough for me...his USC teams weren't well-coached; he was black-listed by Georgia and South Carolina high school coaches; he refused to become a part of the Columbia community; and he stiffed the press at every opportunity--failing to show up for talk shows and interviews. No way, Jose'!

Chuck, are you talking about S. Samples as 626? He and I rode together to an Elon game. I believe it was our first game in Rhodes.

Yes...626steve = Steve Samples

[hapapp]

One WKU fan's take:


darrin was the one of the youngest if not the youngest head coach in america when he took the job here. he was a beloved former player under ralph willard. very hardnosed player.

very arrogant as a head coach. i met him on a few occasions and he didn't come across that way to me but too many stories from around town and the basketball offices for it not to be partially true.

had a good eye for talent. picked up courtney lee (pbuh) who was obviously a miss by the big boys. courtney (pbuh) plays for memphis in the association now. also signed jeremy evans, a beanpole pogo stick out of a small school in arkansas. jeremy plays for the jazz now.

he had some very good offensive teams but couldn't coach dee to save his life. his last year he picked up scott cherry as an assistant and our dee improved enough for us to make the sweet 16 run.

the sweet 16 run gave him the job in south carolina which is a coaches graveyard in hoops.

he's done tv work for espn the last couple years. i personally liked darrin but word was that if he didn't get the south cackalacky job he was gonna get heat from the administration. he was winning 20 games a year but even with anthony winchester and courtney lee (pbuh)....two of my all time top 10 hilltoppers he'd never made the tourney until his last year.

i'd honestly be surprised his ego would permit him to drop back down but maybe he's matured and been humbled by his exit from the sec. i wish him luck and will definitely follow him wherever he goes when he decides to get back in the game.

[hapapp]

And another:

Haha..Really? No Horn was a really good recruiter but we nicknamed him HorNit.....We had a lot of talent and only 1 NCAA to show for it and he was very fortunate we hit that shot to start our deep run in the tournament...Horns teams were pretty good on offense even though we mostly ran a three man weave up top....Defense was a different story, his teams we were soft on defense...Horn could be a very good assistant, but I think I would move off him as far as Head coach again....

Really suprised he would get back into coaching, he seemed to be doing a good job broadcasting, showed more personality there than I ever saw in his 4 seasons at WKU...

[EastHallApp]

I can see how the WKU fans were getting antsy about missing the tournament, but looking at his record, after being around .500 his first year, the next three were 22-9, 23-8, 22-11 (with conference records of 9-5, 12-2, 12-6), so it's not like he wasn't winning at a pretty good clip.

On the other hand, you could say the inverse of my argument about Baucom at VMI (so-so record, but better than the school's norm) - Horn didn't really do better than what WKU was already doing when he got the job (except for the Sweet 16 run), and probably slipped a bit until that last year.

The complaint about their D is back up by statistics. Don't know if Cherry was the driving force behind their improvement, but if we're interviewing him, that would be a question to ask (about possibly hiring an assistant as a defensive specialist).

[spong]

It's going to be interesting if Murray St. and VMI both win tomorrow and play each other Thursday night. Two rumored candidates facing each other across the court in a post-season championship game. Some drama there.

My dream basketball staff is Duggar Baucom as the head coach and Matt McMahon as the Associate Head Coach and head of recruiting. Make Matt the best paid assistant in program history. Then let Coach Baucom fill out the coaching staff with some of his guys.

I also want him to steal some one from the staff at West Liberty. WL just played in the D2 championship game and run a similar style to Coach Baucom. Coach Baucom traveled up to West Virginia to study their system. (maybe steal someone from West Liberty to be our Director of Basketball Operations)

I also wouldn't mind Coach Baucom coming in and bringing in Petey Hausley. Petey had a successful run as a player at App and now works as a cop in Boone. Since they have both worked as cops I figure they should be kindred spirits.