CSU's Jeff Horinek: 'We look at it as a must-win'

By Jim Benton, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published August 28, 2008 at 9:51 p.m.

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Photo by Tim Hussin / The Rocky

Three questions

1 What's your best CU-CSU memory?

"When we beat them my sophomore year, for sure. And my freshman year, I almost got back-flipped on the field, too. I got blindsided."

2 Who do you watch tape of trying to improve your game?

"I've watched some Zach Thomas films because he's the type of guy I would kind of like to be. He's undersized and he's just a hard worker. Sometimes, its great to watch Ray Lewis, and he's one of these freaks of nature, but that's not me. I'm slow and steady."

3 To this point, who has had the most influence on your football career?

"I remember my freshman year, Travis Garcia and Courtney Jones and Jahmal Hall. We've had a lot guys. Even Mike Pagnotta and Klint Kubiak get as many tackles as I do. I've been very fortunate to have great teammates. I can't say I have one that really stuck out."

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When Jeff Horinek arrived at Colorado State five years ago, he wasn't sure how soon he'd get onto the football field.

As it turns out, coaches haven't been able to keep him off it.

Horinek, a 6-foot-3, 234-pound linebacker, will make his 29th consecutive start Sunday when the Rams meet Colorado in the Rocky Mountain Showdown at Invesco Field at Mile High.

Horinek wasn't highly touted coming out of Atwood (Kan.) High School, but he has turned into an impact player for the Rams.

"To be honest, I didn't think I would play much coming out of high school," Horinek said. "If I would play when I was a junior or senior and play special teams, I would be happy. I worked hard, and everything just worked out and I was able to play.

"We had injury problems my freshman year, and I started every game but one. I did not expect that to happen. I wanted it to, that was my goal, but it's not what I expected."

Horinek has started 35 of 36 career games. The lone game he didn't start came against New Mexico as a redshirt freshman because, "Nate Pauly had a great game against Wyoming and he deserved to start."

He admits luck has a lot to do with his starting streak.

"I just think I've been fortunate," said

Horinek, a health and exercise science major who earned academic all-district recognition last season. "But I take good care of my body. I get in the training room as much as I can."

Horinek, who is wearing jersey No. 10 this season because that's the number his brother Deone wore when he was a punter for the Rams, led CSU with 94 tackles last season and has 224 in his career.

This season, Horinek is more concerned with piling up wins than tackles because the Rams have compiled a 13-23 record the past three seasons.

"We've been through all the bad times here and we want to be part of the group that turns it around and get things on the right track," he said.

It starts Sunday night against Colorado, a team Horinek has made 22 tackles against in the past three games.

The Buffaloes are 11-point favorites in the game some say presents a no-win situation for CU going against its in-state Mountain West Conference rival.

"There's no reason why this game shouldn't be important to them," Horinek said. "We've had a good battle every year and neither one of us can overlook the other.

"I think they give us respect. (But) I don't think they think we're one of their Big 12 opponents or anything. I know we look at it as a must-win for us and I think it's a must-win for them, too. I'm a farm boy, so there's no way I like anything from Boulder."

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