Prior to spending two seasons at Austin Peay State University as Director of Football Operations, NFL Liaison Turner spent 5 seasons as the University of Southern Mississippi Director of Player Personnel/Football Operations and HS Relations.
Turner coordinated and handled a huge amount of duties and responsibilities within football logistics ranging from team travel, roster management and communication contact for football. He coordinated recruiting activity including official and unofficial visits, camps, and fundraising clinics. He was a also vital in the program’s operating budget, contracting and obtaining team travel. Turner also served as NFL liaison and point of contact for the scouts, providing necessary information on potential draftees.
Turner came to Southern Miss after spending four years with Jay Hopson at Alcorn State.
During his tenure at Alcorn State, he assisted leading the Braves to a 32-17 record while capturing consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference championships in 2014 and 2015. While 2014 was highlighted being named Black College Champions, Alcorn State recorded at least nine victories in each of his last three seasons, including a 10-3 mark in 2014. In 2015 the Braves played in the inaugural Celebration Bowl, a postseason football bowl featuring two standout programs from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).
Turner served in multiple capacities, including coaching the Nickelback’s, director of operations, videographer, and recruiting at Alcorn State.
Prior to joining the Braves staff, he worked with the University of Memphis football staff as a defensive graduate assistant in 2010 and 2011 after spending the previous three years on the coaching staff at Georgia Southern.
At Georgia Southern, Turner served as a defensive assistant coach working with the defensive backs. In 2009, the Eagles’ defense averaged 6.2 TFL and 1.9 sacks per game. The defense had two players named to the SoCon All-Freshman Team and one to the All-Conference first team. In 2008, Turner worked on a defensive staff that, playing as many as nine true-freshmen on a consistent basis, saved its best performance for last in a 17-10 win at No. 14 Furman to close out the season with a winning record. The 10 points allowed were the fewest by an opponent since October 2005. The defense saw a league-best four rookies named to the inaugural SoCon All-Freshman Team in 2008. As a defensive unit, the Eagles ranked 22nd in TFL per game (7.0) and 26th in sacks per game (2.4) in the nation.
During the 2007 season, the Eagles’ defense ranked 14th nationally in turnover margin, a +1.09 per game average. That impressive average was a result of the team’s rank of 56th in passes intercepted, 17th in fumbles recovered, and 37th in turnovers gained. Overall, the defensive unit recorded 65 TFL, 19 sacks, 11 interceptions, and 56 pass breakups.
Turner lettered three years and spent five years in all with the Georgia Southern football program. The one-time walk-on joined the team in the fall of 2002. He redshirted that year and then saw action in six games his redshirt-freshman year. As a sophomore in 2004, he played in nine games, becoming a valuable member of the special team’s unit and helping the Eagles qualify for the playoffs. He recorded three tackles on special teams that season. After missing the 2005 campaign, Turner returned the following season and played in eight games. Again, he provided senior leadership on special teams, ranking among the leaders in tackles in 2006 and was recognized as a Team Captain.
Turner joined the Eagles after a standout career at Collins Hill High School. He earned Gwinnett County Player of the Month honors his junior year. He also lettered three times in baseball, being named to the All-Atlanta team and played with Team Georgia.
Turner graduated in December 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in general studies from Georgia Southern. He is married to Stephanie Turner. The couple is originally from Suwanee, GA. and have three children, daughters Taylor, Peyton, and a son Mack.