FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas Razorbacks baseball fans with an attention span longer than Twitter's 140 characters will remember the great years and great pitchers Dave Jorn helped produce for Dave Van Horn from 2003-2015.
The 7-23 SEC disaster for 2016 was such a total aberration that pitching coach Jorn was welcomed by Van Horn to start righting the staff for 2017.
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"There's not a better pitching coach than Dave Jorn, and he's an even better person," Van Horn said.
But even after the Razorbacks' 2015 College World Series season, Jorn was reportedly ready to exit the college recruiting trail and just instruct like he did with minor leaguers from 1989 through 2002.
"I think it's time to make a change," Jorn said Monday.
Most players he coached wouldn't change a thing.
Dallas Keuchel, the 2015 Cy Young Award winner; All-Americans Nick Schmidt, Jess Todd and Ryne Stanek; current Major Leaguers Drew Smyly and Mike Bolsinger; and a slew of pitchers toiling in the minors are among the Jorn coached Arkansas alums.
Current minor leaguer Barrett Astin contrasted his arrival as a freshman from Forrest City to getting drafted as a junior.
"My delivery, my windup and my landing," Astin said, "it all was all overhauled, and it was him [Jorn] that did it and it works. He made me what I am."
Astin pitched on the 2013 staff, posting the nation's leading 1.89 ERA.
Those that Jorn developed as Arkansas' pitching coach for Norm DeBriyn from 1983-88 may be even more Arkansas important.
It was their success that impressed Van Horn, a 1985-1988 grad assistant for DeBriyn, and led him to seek permission from Athletic Director Frank Broyles "to do what it takes" to hire Jorn in 2002.
"I credit coach Broyles and Dave Van Horn because the proof is in the pudding," said DeBriyn, noting he couldn't financially prevent Jorn coaching in the pros after the 1988 season. "I realized we had something special, but we didn't have the budget."
Some of Jorn's greatest accomplishments for DeBriyn looked low budget. Especially heavyweight Howard Hilton, whom DeBriyn first saw at Oxnard (Calif.) Junior College warming up eventual Razorbacks star catcher-third baseman-pitcher Mark Berry.
"I see a big, fat guy sitting on a milk carton because he couldn't get into a squat," DeBriyn said. "It doesn't take rocket science to recruit Mark Berry. I saw his stroke. But they said, 'Howard is going to come, too, and walk on.' I know we are wasting our time, but I talk to Jorn and he says, 'Oh, let him come.' Dave sees him and likes his arm."
They loved his arm in 1985 when Hilton became the late-season ace of Arkansas' Southwest Conference Tournament champion/College World Series team.
"That's Dave Jorn," Van Horn said.
Hilton, who passed away in 2011, pitched twice for the 1990 St. Louis Cardinals.
"Dave gets him off the pizzas," DeBriyn said, "and develops him, and he pitches lights out for us and gets a drink of water in the big leagues."
Just one among many developed by the best.
Sports on 05/25/2016