SEC veteran Tim Horton joined the Auburn program prior to the 2013 season as running backs coach. He served as recruiting coordinator in 2015-16, producing a fourth consecutive Top 10 recruiting class. 

Horton has coached nine all-SEC running backs, 10 different 1,000-yard rushers and two of the SEC’s all-time single season rushing leaders in Tre Mason (1,816) and Darren McFadden (1,830). His all-SEC players include: Cameron Artis-Payne, Knile Davis, Kerryon Johnson, Felix Jones, Mason, McFadden, Kamryn Pettway, Michael Smith and Jonathan Williams. In 2017, he became the first coach in SEC history to coach the SEC offensive (Kerryon Johnson) and special teams (Daniel Carlson) player of the year in the same season. 

The 2013 Tigers led the nation with 328.3 rushing yards per game. Tre Mason, a Heisman Trophy finalist and the SEC Offensive Player of the Year, ranked third in the nation with 23 rushing touchdowns, sixth nationally with 1,816 yards rushing, sixth with 10.7 points per game and sixth with 169.57 all-purpose yards per game. 

In 2014, Cameron Artis-Payne led the SEC in rushing with 1,608 yards, 123.7 yards per game. In 2015, Peyton Barber (1,017) became the seventh 1,000-yard rusher Horton has coached since 2007, and in 2016, Kamryn Pettway rushed for 1,224 yards, leading the SEC in rushing. 

In 2017, SEC offensive player of the year Kerryon Johnson led the league in rushing, scoring and all-purpose yardage, as Auburn became just the eighth team in SEC history to rush and pass for 3,000 yards in a season, and set an Auburn record scoring 327 points in SEC play, winning the SEC West. Horton also coordinated the special teams, as All-America kicker Daniel Carlson set the SEC career scoring record and was a Lou Groza Award finalist for the third consecutive year.

Two Auburn backs were selected in the 2014 NFL Draft -- Mason (3rd round, St. Louis) and fullback Jay Prosch (6th round, Houston). Artis-Payne was a 2015 fifth-round pick by Carolina, and Corey Grant, who led the nation in yards per carry, joined Jacksonville that season. Barber signed with Tampa Bay in 2016. Eleven different running backs coached by Horton have been an NFL starter during the last 10 seasons, including Artis-Payne, Barber, Davis, Grant, Dennis Johnson, Jones, Mason, McFadden, Keiro Small, Williams and Ronnie Wingo.

Prior to Auburn, Horton spent six seasons in a similar capacity at Arkansas, where he was also recruiting coordinator, recognized by Rivals.com and ESPN.com as one of the nation’s top recruiters. He was one of just two coaches in the nation, and the only one in the SEC, to coach four different 1,000-yard rushers from 2007-10. Under his watch, 2007 Doak Walker Award winner Darren McFadden and Felix Jones earned All-America honors, while Dennis Johnson, Michael Smith, Jonathan Williams and Knile Davis earned all-SEC honors.

Horton, who played football at Arkansas from 1986-89, returned to his alma mater in 2007 after taking the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coaching position at Air Force in January, 2007. During the 2006 season, he was running backs coach at Kansas State, helping the Wildcats earn a Texas Bowl berth while tutoring future NFL running backs Thomas Clayton and James Johnson.

At Air Force from 1999-2005, serving as the wide receivers (1999-2004) and running backs coach (2005), Horton was recognized by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Colorado chapter as one of its 2004 coaches of the year.

He began his coaching career at Appalachian State in 1990 and helped ASU to a 67-32 record during eight seasons, including Southern Conference championships in 1991 and 1995 and five NCAA Division I-AA playoff appearances.

Horton currently serves as the SEC representative to the AFCA assistant coaches’ committee and also gives back to the game by serving as the running backs expert for USA football. In 2016, Horton authored a book, “Complete Running Back” published by Human Kinetics.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing management from Arkansas in 1990, where he was a four-year letterman and three-year starter as a split end and punt returner under Coach Ken Hatfield. He caught 49 passes for 942 yards and one TD in his career, hauling in 23 catches for 453 yards as a senior in 1989. Horton also returned 78 punts for 657 yards, fifth all-time in school history. The Razorbacks compiled a 38-11 record, still tied for the school record for the most wins in a four-year period, won back-to-back Southwest Conference titles (1988-89) and appeared in four straight bowl games.

A two-time academic all-conference selection, Horton was a second-team all-SWC selection in 1989 and team captain. A two-time all-state running back and track standout at Conway (Ark.) High School, Horton and his wife Lauren have a daughter, Caroline (an Auburn student), and a son, Jackson.