Player of the Week: Mike Horton

Player: Mike Horton

Positions: Offense – Fullback, Jr. & Halfback, Sr.; Defense – cornerback (and although never listed, must have played some linebacker)

Available stats: As a junior, starting at fullback, six of the games listed his yardage, which totaled 630 yards. From reading the articles, I am positive he gained at least 80 yards in one other game, which gets him to at least 710 in his junior year. If he gained only 30 yards in the other three games, he would be right around 800 for the season. Then adding to that, one newspaper article mentioned that he gained almost 1000 yards during his junior season. Pretty good haul for his junior year.

            Then in his senior year, an end of year article states that he carried the ball 192 times for 1,132 yards, an average of 6.1 yards per carry. He also led the team in tackles with 123 total tackles, 39 solo and 84 assists. He was also the kicker and punter for the 1972 team. Over the course of the two years he was a starter, he ran for over 100 yards in 8 games, plus had a game at 99 yards and another at 97.

            He is 13^th all time on the Wildcat rushing list relying on the six games from his junior year and the ten from his senior year. However, if we had access to those other six games in 1971, I would assume that he would jump up to 10^th, just behind Rodriqueke Faulks and just ahead of Ted Reed.

Characteristics: Nicknamed “Frog” (according to one Advertiser-Gleam article). He was blindingly fast, at one time holding the school record for the 100 yard dash. At 5’10’’, 190 lbs, he was incredibly hard to tackle, being both strong and fast.

Modern Equivalent: Corey Cahill (Both in terms of size and speed, but also in terms of positions played, and being jacks of all trades. During Cahill’s senior year, he played some quarterback, halfback, slot receiver, kick returner, punt returner, and kicker. Horton played both back positions, was the returner, punter and kicker for the team. Their stats running the football are also very similar, even though they played nearly 40 years apart)

Big Games: Like many of Guntersville’s greatest players, Horton played his biggest game against Albertville in his senior year. He ran for 227 yards, scored three touchdowns, and had an interception. Against Scottsboro that season, he ran the ball 24 times for 133 yards. In a 41-6 loss against Athens, he ran for 117 yards, threw a touchdown, played good defense (according to the paper), punted, kicked, and did all of this with a injured hand and back. As a junior, he helped the Wildcats defeat the #1 ranked Fort Payne Wildcats by running for 99 yards on 15 carries.

What the Coach Said: Coach Hart said, “He’s the best running back I’ve ever been around, and that includes the ones I saw when I was coaching in Huntsville. He’s got good strength and fine balance, and he’s nimble footed. He moves right along.”

Tidbits: He signed to play football at Alabama A&M. He was on the roster for the 1984 Birmingham Stallions of the USFL as a defensive back.