CU Buffs Q&A: Wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. talks big Week 1, his dad and Nebraska rivalry

BOULDER — Even when he’s thriving on the football field, it would be understandable for Jimmy Horn Jr.’s mind to drift to his dad.

Horn starred in Colorado’s Week 1 win over North Dakota State with 198 receiving yards and a touchdown, but his father is currently in prison on drug-related charges. Horn recently went home to Florida to support his father as he was sentenced to 87 months for an additional drug-related charge.

Horn has had the full support of Deion Sanders and the Buffs through the process.

Q: What did last week mean to you and were you able to talk to your father afterward?

A: Yeah, I talked to him. He’s about to get shipped off to the prison, so that was my last time talking to him (for a while). I just gotta go even harder. It just felt good to talk to him. That just pushes me even more. (There’s) a lot of adversity that goes on through life; you just gotta keep thriving and pushing through it. Like, that game, that was a career-high game for me and I ain’t going to let that get to me. I’m just gonna keep going, keep grinding. I’m hungry.

Q: What does it mean to have Coach Prime behind you?

A: That means a lot. He’s just another good father figure for me. That means a lot to me to have him having my back and the people around me, too, like the coaching staff and stuff like that.

Q: At the beginning of practice, (wide receivers) coach (Jason) Phillips goes down the line and daps up each of the wide receivers. What does that mean when a coach takes that moment with you?

A: That means a lot. Coach J-Phil, that’s my guy. We have good conversations. (He gives) tough love, but that’s the kind of coach he is. He’ll never look for the good in your game. He can break (your game) down to the littlest piece and he’s gonna keep it real with you. That’s why every time he comes through there and gives you a handshake every morning, it’s just a good feeling to have a coach like that.

Q: Have you found that the wide receiver room listens to him, knowing he was an All-American at Houston and led the nation in receiving?

A: Yeah, everybody in there listens to him. He’s going to keep it real with you, but that’s just how he is. I respect that.

Q: Coach Phillips has talked about the wide receiver room being eight deep. How much competition is in the room right now?

A: We push each other every day. Every day, it’s a competition. We’ve got a lot of receiver (number) ones in our room, but we’re all here on the same goal and that’s to win. There ain’t no type of selfishness going on. Everybody’s on the same plan. There’s just a lot of competition at the end of the day.

Q: You had a big Week 1 game last year against TCU. What allows you to be ready to contribute to start a season?

A: I play with a chip on my shoulder. That’s really what drives me. I know what I’m (playing) this game for and I love this game. I do it for me and I do it for the ones I love.

Q: Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said this week that you’re a difference-maker and you dominate the middle of the field. What do you make of those comments?

A: I just gotta go out there and play and do me. You never know who might take off the next game, so you just gotta always be ready when the moment (comes).

Q: How has the team embraced the rivalry with Nebraska going into Saturday night?

A: This year, I can tell that our team is taking this rivalry really seriously. A lot of (my teammates), they’re fresh here and there’s a lot of history behind (this game). We just gotta rep this CU logo that we play for, no matter who we’re playing against. I know Nebraska is a big rival and we’re not about to play with them because I know they’re not coming to play with us. That’s really the whole team’s mindset.

Q: Does this feel like more of a rivalry game now that you’ve played in it once?

A: Yeah, it does. I ain’t gonna lie, I watched a couple of their interviews and stuff. We know what time it is.

Q: How cool was it to see your former teammate Xavier Weaver make the Arizona Cardinals’ 53-man roster recently?

A: It’s been amazing, just to see the grind my brother put in and the work that he put in to get where he’s at. (Weaver) is that guy, for real. Just to see him in the position he’s in, I love to see that.

Players to watch

Colorado: LT Jordan Seaton, DE B.J. Green

The Buffs offensive line is in for a big test this week against the massive Nebraska front seven. True freshman left tackle Jordan Seaton performed well in his college debut, and will need to put in a similar protecting QB Shedeur Sanders if the CU offense wants to score like it's capable of. On defense, the Buffs will need their veteran defensive linemen to impose their will and set the tone. Look for Arizona State transfer B.J. Green to do just that and show CU fans why he was such an important addition this offseason.

Nebraska: WR Isaiah Neyor, DL Ty Robinson

Not only did the Cornhuskers add a potentially game-changing QB in Dylan Raiola, they also gave the 5-star freshman a handful of weapons to throw the ball to on the perimeter. Neyor, a Texas transfer, made an instant impact last week with over 100 receiving yards and 59-yard touchdown pass from Raiola. He could be a lot for the CU secondary to handle. On the flip side, Robinson could live in the Buffs backfield if they don’t have a proper game plan to limit his impact. The senior is an all-Big Ten caliber defender and already has two tackles for loss after Week 1.