Recovering USF Speedster Horne Making Steady Progress This Spring
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, MARCH 21, 2019 – NCAA record-tying speedster
Terrence Horne Jr. is checking off milestones on his road back to being USF's most dangerous kick returner and big markers are being reached this spring.
Back in his helmet and cleats, Horne has returned to running at the Morsani Complex six months after his promising true freshman season came to an abrupt end after just three games due to a torn ACL. Less than two weeks before his major setback, Horne matched an NCAA single-game record with two kickoff returns for touchdowns in a wild comeback win over Georgia Tech on Sept. 8.
"It feels great just to be back out here with my teammates and participating in some of the activities that we're doing," said Horne after practice Wednesday evening. "It's giving me happiness."
That thought alone brought a huge smile to Horne's face, which resembled his elated look after making a major splash on the national scene in 2018.
ABC/ESPN2 cameras rolled as the 2018 Class 4A state track 100-meter champion out of Miramar (Fla.) High School showcased his breakaway speed during a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown midway through the first quarter against Georgia Tech.
Raymond James Stadium roared once again when Horne took the very next kickoff to the house from 97 yards out and etched his name in the NCAA history book. The American Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Week and Paul Hornung Award national honor roll member set USF and league records with 264 total kickoff return yards on that sunny Saturday in Tampa. Horne also used his receiving skills to haul in a touchdown pass during the Bulls' double-digit fourth quarter comeback victory.
"It was a really surreal feeling because of the whole atmosphere – national television in front of a big crowd and everybody watching across the United States," he said. "After that happened, it helped me boost my self-confidence and just helped me improve in the other parts of my game."
Following USF's Week 3 win over Illinois, Horne was happy about doing his thing in practice when "extreme pain" suddenly set into his right knee.
"I was doing a normal route that I'd do any other day and it just gave out on me," he said. "My foot got stuck in the grass and it just gave out."
Horne remembers that date as clear as day – Sept. 19 – and he also knows others by heart.
Sept. 29 – ACL reconstruction surgery.
Nov. 27 – Another operation to break up scar tissue in his knee.
"After that, my recovery sped up," Horne said. "I started to squat and my range of motion got way better. After winter break, that's when I started running."
Horne, who began doing lateral movements before spring break, calls the whole experience a "test." USF Senior Associate Athletic Trainer
Yuriy Chulskiy says No. 80 is acing it.
"He's doing a really great job," said USF football's head athletic trainer. "He's really dedicated himself to rehab. He's done extra work with us and has really done a good job of buying into it. He understands he has to do this to make sure he's ready to go for next season."
Before the Aug. 30 home opener against Wisconsin, Horne's next huge goal is to be at full go by the time fall camp begins. As of right now, he's opening eyes by being able to do all straight-ahead running in the first week of spring practice.
"We're starting to work on cutting stuff and jumping this week," Chulskiy said. "He's really starting to get comfortable with that."
After spring ball, Chulskiy noted Horne will be worked into USF's full summer conditioning program "to give him that confidence to be able to go come camp."
The USF training staff will be cautious with him in fall camp and Horne is hopeful he'll be ready for the season opener. He's also thinking about the Bulls' next game against Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Sept. 7.
"I know they're going to kick it to me," he said. "Hopefully I can get three instead of two."
No matter if the Yellow Jackets stop him or not, Horne promises to be an even better version of himself on the field after learning a lot more about football and life since his injury. Horne even plans on making more plays as a receiver and this spring he's working at it by catching "about 100 balls a day."
"I feel like I'll come back better," said Horne, who has added about eight pounds since last season. "Day by day, I can just feel my leg getting stronger and stronger. Different movements that I do, I feel more explosive with those movements."
ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
In just its 22nd season of football, and 19th at the FBS level, the USF football program has earned 10 bowl appearances, including a current run of four straight, and owns a record of 6-3 in bowl games. The Bulls have appeared in the national top 25 rankings in each of the past three seasons, including a program record run of 20 straight weeks in the top 25, and in 2018 reached the program's 150th win faster than any FBS program in state of Florida history. USF has posted a pair of 10-plus win seasons in the last three years, including a program-record 11 wins (11-2) in 2016, and logged 15 winning seasons overall. Since first taking the field in 1997, the USF program has reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings (2007), seen 30 players selected in the NFL Draft, 14 named All-American and 29 earn first-team all-conference selection.
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