FAYETTEVILLE -- Dave Jorn, the most successful pitching coach in Razorback history under its two most successful head baseball coaches, announced Monday that he is retiring from the University of Arkansas.
Jorn was the pitching coach for retired Razorback Hall of Fame coach Norm DeBriyn from 1983-88 before embarking on coaching and scouting for the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Arizona Diamondbacks and the Yankees again.
Upon his announcement as Arkansas' coach in the summer of 2002, Dave Van Horn, who was an Arkansas assistant during the 1985-88 portion of Jorn's tenure under DeBriyn, hired Jorn as Arkansas' pitching coach.
All but one of those seasons, this recently concluded 2016 season ending in a school-record 13-game losing streak and 26-29 and 7-23 overall and SEC records, showed Jorn-coached pitching staffs among the nation's best, including a nation-leading and program-best 1.89 ERA in 2013.
Jorn was the pitching coach for two of DeBriyn's four College World Series teams (1985 and '87) and coached the 1989 CWS staff through the '88 fall ball before joining the Yankees' organization. He coached the pitchers on all four of Van Horn's CWS teams, advancing in 2004, '09, '12 and '15.
"It's been 20 of the best years of my life," Jorn said Monday via UA release. "I love Arkansas. I love the program and I love everything about it. It has just been a wonderful time and a wonderful experience. I want to thank coach DeBriyn and coach Van Horn for giving me such a tremendous opportunity. I've had a lot of success and it's been a pleasure, but this is something that's been on my mind for the last couple of years. I think it's time to make a change."
Van Horn spoke highly of Jorn through the release.
"I appreciate everything that coach Jorn has done for this program since I got here 14 years ago," Van Horn said. "He has turned this program into a top-25 program and has put together some of the best pitching staffs in the country. There's not a better pitching coach than Dave Jorn, and he's an even better person. He's been a great friend to me and the rest of the coaching staff and always will be a man of great character."
DeBriyn also spoke highly of Jorn and the impact he obviously had on Van Horn even when Van Horn was on staff as a graduate assistant.
"I lucked out in getting him as a young man because he was coming out of pro ball (as a pitcher) and we didn't have much of a budget," DeBriyn said. "After a couple of years, I realized we had something special there. Look at the track record. We go to Omaha in '85, '87 and '89, and after he left us we never went back. Our pitchers got better. Not just mechanically but every way. He is intuitive. I think the game slows down for him."
Those work with him realize it, including Van Horn as a 1985 grad assistant just three years removed from being Arkansas's second baseman, and Frank Broyles, the athletic director both when DeBriyn and Van Horn hired Jorn.
"I credit Dave Van Horn that one of the first things he did when he got the job was get Jorn," DeBriyn said. "He went to Frank and was told do what it takes to get him. I credit coach Broyles and Dave Van Horn for doing it because the proof is in the pudding."
Jorn said he intends to remain in Fayetteville but may explore pro opportunities.
"We are planning on staying here," Jorn said. "I don't know what's in my future right now, but I am not ready to totally retire and get out of baseball. I am thinking about going back into professional baseball, possibly scouting, maybe player development, working with some younger players in the minor leagues. I don't know anything definitive at this point, but I am not done working. I still want to keep working and still want to stay in baseball."
Three Jorn-coached former Razorbacks, 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel of the Houston Astros, Mike Bolsinger of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Drew Smyly of the Tampa Bay Rays, pitch in the Major Leagues.
Three of Jorn's former Razorbacks proteges, Nick Schmidt, Jess Todd and Ryne Stanek, earned all-American and all-Southeastern Conference honors.
Pitchers earning All-Southwest Conference honors under Jorn included Kevin Campbell, Tim Deitz, Bobby Edwards, Freddie Farwell, Steve Parker and Tim Peters.
Sports on 05/24/2016