FRISCO, Texas — Frisco High School’s football coach Jeff Harbert has coached a lot of guys over his 18-year career.
But there’s only been one Dylan Horton.
“It's great to see good people have success,” Harbert said.
“And Dylan is a great man.”
The TCU defensive lineman will face off against Georgia on Monday night in the biggest game of his life when the Horned Frogs compete in the national championship game.
“Obviously this is the biggest game he’s ever played in,” Harbert told WFAA.
“But the game before this was the biggest game he’d ever played in.”
That game was the Michigan game, where Horton had four sacks.
And Harbert wasn't surprised. Horton earned it, he said.
Even when he suffered a knee injury in high school, Harbert said, "Dylan was still the guy that was up here working out, trying to do everything could do to help our team win."
“He never missed any reps, never ditched out on practice.”
Horton’s mother is a Frisco High School teacher. Harbert said he saw her influence on the field early on.
“I think her biggest thing, with Dylan, is the respect she raised him with,” he said.
“Focusing on being the right type of person."
Harbert told WFAA that Horton had offers out of college, but none from Power 5 schools.
He originally started at the University of New Mexico, then ultimately transferred to TCU.
“And now he’s playing on the biggest stage possible,” his coach said.
TCU isn’t the favorite to win, but Harbert said that just makes this story even better.
"You see the blue bloods, with all the resources, the five stars year in and year out. It’s nice to see somebody local. TCU’s got a lot of players with high school roots," Harbert said. "Just some tough, gritty kids that are finding a way to get it done and compete at the highest level when people say they shouldn’t be able to."
Harbert hopes TCU pulls it off.
Either way, he knows Horton’s story is already inspiring so many kids in town with big dreams of their own.
"This kid’s from Frisco, his mom’s a teacher, he didn’t come from a ton of wealth, and have all the camp exposure. But he got to where he is now because he’s a hard worker, he’s obviously got some God-given talent, but he’s made the made the most of this opportunity," Harbert said. "I think it gives kids hope that, you know, they’re in Frisco, and maybe someday can be in his shoes."