Zach Horton’s journey to Indiana has been more than just a football story. In his fourth season of college football, Horton has become a key player in Indiana's most successful season in program history.
But for the soft-spoken, hard-hitting tight end from Roanoke, Virginia, it’s not about the accolades or recognition. It’s about family, selflessness, and playing for something much bigger than himself.
“You have that name across your chest, but you also have a last name that you’re representing,” Horton told TheHoosier.com. “I don’t want my last name to be remembered as ‘this kid was playing soft.’ I want people to remember my last name as the high-effort kid.”
Horton, a 6-foot-4, 252-pound tight end, began his college career close to home in Harrisonburg, Virginia, at James Madison University. He didn't have many other options, with no Power Five scholarship offers out of high school — something Horton says put a chip on his shoulder.
"I've always felt like I have something to prove," Horton said.
For three seasons, Horton honed his skills under head coach Curt Cignetti, becoming a reliable offensive presence for the Dukes.
But when Cignetti accepted the head coaching position at Indiana, Horton didn't hesitate to follow the man who gave him a shot. That decision has paid off in ways Horton could scarcely imagine.
The Hoosiers are in the midst of a historic season, most recently knocking off the reigning national champions, Michigan, to improve to 10-0 — a first in Indiana’s long, often beleaguered football history.
For Horton, though, it’s not the accolades or record-setting wins that matter most; it’s what he’s able to give back to his team and the family that raised him to be that way.
Growing up in Roanoke, Virginia, Horton's life was intertwined with sports from the moment he could crawl. As soon as he was able, Horton was dressing up in pads and playing football.
His father, Bennie, had dreams of his son playing baseball. When Horton was still in a crib, his father placed plushies of a football, basketball, and baseball in his bed. But even as an infant, Horton had his preferences.
Horton kept reaching for the football and basketball, bypassing the baseball, much to his father’s disappointment. Bennie, who introduced Horton to the game he would grow to love, learned to come to terms with his son's sporting preferences.
“He taught me a lot. Once I got to high school, he stepped away and let me do my thing,” Horton said. “I love him so much.”
It wasn't just the love of the game that Bennie, who grew up a die-hard NC State basketball fan, passed on to his son.
Bennie is also the reason Horton wears the No. 44 jersey — a number Horton has donned since seventh grade. Bennie grew up less than an hour outside of Raleigh, North Carolina, where he admired, in his words, the greatest ACC basketball player of all time: David Thompson. It was Thompson who first sparked Bennie’s love for sports, a passion he passed down to Horton.
Horton's father also helped him discover his preferred coaching style, one of the many characteristics that drew the tight end to Cignetti and James Madison out of high school.
“He would always tell me the good things first,” Horton recalled of postgame conversations with his father. “He always followed with, ‘But you could do this and that.’ That’s how I love to be coached. I appreciate him for being so loving and caring.”
During Horton's time at James Madison, his family only needed about 90 minutes and three turns to watch his games. Now, in Bloomington, more than 500 miles from his hometown, Horton's parents still haven’t missed a game.
“They’re always there,” Horton said with a smile. “I’m a big family guy. I love seeing them after every game.”
One of Horton's fondest memories from the gridiron is sharing the field with his older brother, a senior, during Horton’s freshman year of high school. It was from his brother that Horton developed his fiery competitive edge.
“It got really competitive,” Horton recalled of their battles. “He gave me that competitive edge. I get my hard-nosed way of playing football from him.”
That competitive spirit was drilled into Horton by his older brother from a young age. The two competed in everything growing up, from wrestling to basketball — a sport they both shared a secondary love for.
It wasn’t until Horton reached high school that he was finally able to get the best of his brother in their driveway basketball battles.
Despite his significant contributions to Indiana's remarkable season, Horton's mind rarely strays from his roots. Wearing the cream and crimson of the Hoosiers is an honor, but it’s the name on the back of his jersey that means the most to the Indiana tight end.
“Not only do I have the school name on my chest,” Horton said, “I also have a last name that I’m playing for. There’s more than just the school across your chest; you also have to represent your family.”
As the Hoosiers' tight end, Horton’s impact on the field can often go unnoticed by casual fans when he's not running routes and catching passes — although that’s not something that keeps him up at night.
“I personally don’t play for the recognition,” Horton said. “I play to help us keep winning. You just have to know your role and how to play it.”
While many at his position are celebrated for highlight-reel catches and flashy touchdowns, Horton’s value lies in his ability to do the dirty work — blocking and putting his teammates in positions to succeed.
This season, Indiana's rushing attack has ranked near the top of the Big Ten, and Horton has been a big part of that success. Yet, as a tight end, his run blocking isn't usually met with recognition from fans in the stands or those watching at home. But again, that recognition isn't what Horton is seeking.
“For me, I like being unselfish. I like to give,” Horton said. “When I make a good block to spring a touchdown play, it feels like I’m giving to the team. It just makes me feel better and makes me feel good. That’s just how I was raised and how I was taught to be. It’s just who I am.”
For Horton, every block is an act of service, a way of giving back to the team and the city that embraced him. Each time he’s called upon to throw a block on a run play, Horton thinks back to those physical battles with his older brother.
Horton and the Hoosiers' two dozen other transfers have made the offseason jump to Bloomington and the Big Ten look easy this season, dispatching every team in their path through the first 10 games. The transition from James Madison to the Big Ten could have been a daunting change, but Horton credits his fellow JMU transfers for helping him adjust.
It was also an adjustment for the players who remained from the Hoosiers' previous regime, as they navigated dozens of new teammates and a nearly entirely new coaching staff.
Horton and the 13 James Madison transfers who followed Cignetti to Bloomington were key in getting everyone acclimated to Cignetti and everything that comes with Indiana's brazen head coach.
The biggest task for Horton and the other leaders on the team was getting everyone in the locker room to believe. Horton followed Cignetti to Bloomington because of that belief, a belief that has now spread throughout the streets of Bloomington.
“I knew that if we bought in and everyone put forth the effort, the season we're having, I expected it,” Horton said. “It’s incredible that we’re at this point now.”
Now, with Memorial Stadium regularly packed with roaring fans, Horton is savoring every moment. Despite Indiana’s rise to new heights on the football field, Horton remains grounded, focused on the present, and remembering the reason he plays in the first place.
“It means a lot,” Horton said. “To be able to give back to Bloomington and make them believe in football — that Indiana can be a football school — it’s been a fun ride.”
As Indiana's improbable season rolls on, Horton will continue to do what he's always done: play hard, play selflessly, and play for something bigger than himself.
For the tight end from Roanoke, this season — his final year of eligibility — isn’t about chasing accolades or making headlines. It’s about family: the one that’s in the stands every Saturday and the one whose name he proudly carries on the back of his jersey.
“There’s a lot more to life than just football.”
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