Dave Van Horn is always determined and motivated.
He has a steely resolve that is evident to all of those who have been around him. The veteran Arkansas coach is liked and respected, but edgy at the same time.
For the first time in his 13 years at Arkansas - and his four years at Nebraska before that - his team is not playing in an NCAA regional. That doesn’t sit well with him and won’t bode well for Southeastern Conference opponents next season.
“It isn't normal,” Van Horn told reporters last week. “I don't know what to do. Honestly, I'm a little bit lost right now.”
No successful coach takes ending the season on a 13-game losing streak well. In Van Horn’s case, it has probably caused him to lose sleep.
It is a good thing he can channel some of that frustration into finding a replacement for longtime pitching coach Dave Jorn, who probably not coincidentally, announced his retirement last week.
Thanks to Van Horn’s ability to pull a rabbit out of a hat and get more inexperienced teams to the postseason, most held out hope that this year’s club would rebound. Instead they found almost every possible way to lose a game.
There were several games that could have easily bounced Arkansas’ way and would have been the difference in sitting at home and playing this week. There were mistakes and rally opossums and the like.
It doesn’t help a young team’s growth to have to navigate the ultra-tough SEC slate. The league had an NCAA-record four national seeds this year and a record seven teams hosting regionals.
“I think there’s about an inch difference between us and Arkansas and the so-called bottom of this league to the top,” Mississippi State Coach John Cohen said. “You could tell they’re a very talented group that was off just an inch. Quite frankly, if they were in many other leagues in America, they’re probably at .500 or above and in the NCAA Tournament.
“But if you’re an inch off in the SEC, you’re going to get punched in the mouth a lot.”
Van Horn’s teams, known for never giving up, may have let go of the rope a bit. Late games reeked of frustration and despair. Still, if there was some defeat in the clubhouse, Van Horn didn’t mention it.
"I look in the mirror, it's my fault," he told the media. "I've told the team that. We won't let it happen again next year. We'll get better.”
Better and back in the NCAA Tournament, and don’t count out a postseason run. The Hogs will most likely return a good nucleus of talent if some of the stars decide not to sign with an MLB team, as Van Horn expects.
Arkansas’ standout hitters, Luke Bonefield and Carson Shaddy, should return as should ace Dominic Taccolini. Infielder Clark Eagan is a maybe to come back for his senior season. If he does, that will only bolster the roster.
There are also question marks such as Keaton McKinney and if he can regain the form he flashed as a freshman. He showed the effects from a hip injury. His resurgence will be one of the main focuses for the new pitching coach. The new blood should also help Arkansas on the field and maybe the recruiting trail.
No matter which players return or who does or doesn’t regain form, Van Horn is on a mission – more than usual, and that isn’t good news for the rest of the SEC. He said he won’t let a season like this happen again and Hogs fans should believe him.
His track record speaks for itself.