Baseball America

September 1, 2007

Ducks Formally Name Horton As Coach

Former Titans coach tabbed to resuscitate Pac-10 program
By Baseball America Staff

Oregon's search for a big-name coach to handle the restoration of its baseball program--dormant since 1981--officially came to an end Saturday. The head Duck has landed, and it's a Titan among the college coaching community.

Oregon lured George Horton away from Cal State Fullerton with an announced five-year contract worth at least a guaranteed $400,000 annually. Horton has been offered big money before by other schools--he's been wooed by the likes of Louisiana State and Oklahoma State, to name just two--but couldn't resist Oregon, with its promise of Pacific-10 Conference competition, a new ballpark (rumored to be in the $10-15 million range) and an athletic department flush with money after a $100 million gift by Nike founder Phil Knight.

Horton, 54, spent six years at Fullerton as Augie Garrido's top assistant before replacing Garrido after the 1996 season, when Garrido went to Texas. Horton's 11-year head coaching tenure included the 2004 College World Series championship and six trips to Omaha, including the last two seasons. He compiled a career record of 490-212-1 (.698) and was BA's Coach of the Year in 2003.

"This is a tremendous day for the University of Oregon," Ducks athletic director Pat Kilkenny said in a statement. "Baseball coaches of George Horton's distinction and ability don't come along very often, and his decision to come to Eugene speaks volumes about our commitment for Oregon baseball to become successful on a national level."

According to a press release, Horton will sign a five-year contract (through the end of the 2012 season, with the length subject to approval from the Oregon University System's chancellor. He'll get a base salary of $150,000 as well as an additional guaranteed income of $250,000 derived in part from radio and television contracts with the Oregon Sports Network, as well as shoe and apparel agreements with Nike.

Prior to joining Garrido's staff, Horton spent six years as the head coach at Cerritos College, compiling a junior college record of 226-53 (.810) from 1985-90. "To see what he has built and accomplished at Cal State Fullerton is incredible," Kilkenny said. "Coach Horton has put together an elite program and has posted an outstanding record on the field of play as well as (he) develops student-athletes as both players and individuals."

Horton announced that former Fullerton assistant Jason Gill was joining his staff in Eugene. Gill was Horton's most recent recruiting coordinator with the Titans. Sources have indicated to Baseball America that UC Riverside assistant coach Andrew Checketts, who played at Oregon State and went to high school in Oregon, is a strong candidate to become Oregon's pitching coach.

Cal State Fullerton has yet to announce Horton's replacement, but UC Irvine coach Dave Serrano--who was national Assistant Coach of the Year in 2004 while at Fullerton--told BA's Aaron Fitt he was not going to return to Fullerton to replace Horton. Fullerton AD Brian Quinn was expected to begin the search process after the Labor Day weekend.

However, Gill and Serrano are lobbying hard for long-time Titans assistant Rick Vanderhook to succeed Horton. Vanderhook, 42, played for Horton at Cerritos JC, then for the Titans' 1984 national championship team under Garrido, and has coached at Fullerton for 21 seasons (with a two-year stint at Cal State Northridge mixed in) since 1985.