Book
Football books trailer from
Human Kinetics on
Vimeo.
There is nothing more exciting than watching a skilled running back sidestep a tackler, hit an open hole in the line, pivot, turn, and accelerate up the field for a huge gain. It’s a position that many have played but few have excelled in. And not one has succeeded alone.
Complete Running Back will help you step onto the field with the skills to thrill and knowledge to succeed. Tim Horton, running backs coach to Tre Mason, Darren McFadden, Felix Jones, and Knile Davis, shares his expertise, insights, and advice for becoming an every-down threat.
You’ll learn to think, move, and play with a purpose. With 81 drills and coaching tips, you’ll master the intricacies of these skills:
- Ball protection
- Open-field running
- Short-yardage running
- Blocking
- Pass catching
Complete with mental strategies, game preparation, in-game adjustments, and programming for increasing strength, power, speed, and agility,
Complete Running Back is your guide to maximizing potential and performance of the sport’s most important positions.
Table of Contents
Preface
Key to Diagrams
Chapter 1. The Complete Back
Chapter 2. Stances, Footwork, and Ball Security
Chapter 3. Running in the Open Field
Chapter 4. Blocking
Chapter 5. Catching Passes Out of the Backfield
Chapter 6. Developing Power and Strength
Chapter 7. Developing Speed and Agility
Chapter 8. Preparing for the Game
Chapter 9. Championship Mind-Set
About the Author
About the Author
Tim Horton, running backs coach for Auburn University, is an SEC
veteran who helped the Tigers to a 2013 SEC Championship and a BCS
Championship berth. The Tigers led the nation with 328.3 yards rushing
per game in 2013.
Under Horton, running backs Tre Mason, Cameron Artis-Payne, Darren
McFadden, Felix Jones, and Knile Davis have rushed for 1,000-yard
seasons. As finalists for the Heisman Trophy, both Mason and McFadden
were recognized among college football’s finest players. McFadden, the
Heisman Trophy runner-up, won the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top
running back.
Before coming to Auburn, Horton spent six successful seasons in a
similar capacity at the University of Arkansas, where he was also the
Razorbacks recruiting coordinator. He was recognized by Rivals.com and
ESPN.com as one of the nation's top recruiters during his tenure at
Arkansas and was one of just two coaches in the nation to coach four
different 1,000-yard rushers from 2007 to 2010. Under his watch, Darren
McFadden and Felix Jones earned All-American honors, while Dennis
Johnson and Knile Davis earned All-SEC honors.
Horton served as offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at the
Air Force (2007), running backs coach at Kansas State (2006) where he
coached future NFL running backs Thomas Clayton and James Johnson, and
running backs (2005) and wide receivers coach (1999-2004) at the Air
Force. He began his coaching career at Appalachian State in 1990 and
helped guide the Mountaineers to a 67-32 record during his eight years.
As a player at Arkansas, Horton was a four-year letterman and three-year
starter at split end and punt returner.
