Brian Turner is beginning his third year as South Alabama’s defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator.
Eleven of Turner’s players combined to account for 18 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, helping the Jaguar defense allow under 235 yards and seven points per game while going 7-0 in the school’s inaugural season. Three USA defensive linemen — Anthony Taylor, Montavious Williams and Romelle Jones — paced the group after posting double-figure tackle totals last fall, with Taylor tying for fourth on the squad with four stops for loss.
And, in February each of the last two years, Turner’s efforts have assisted the Jags in putting together signing classes of 20 or more student-athletes to help add to the talent level and depth in the program. That has included inking multiple players ranked among the best at their position by Scout, Inc., as well as numerous individuals who have helped their high schools to state championships and deep postseason runs.
Before coming to Mobile, Turner had worked the previous five years on the coaching staff at Sun Belt Conference rival Troy. In addition to serving as recruiting coordinator, he spent his last season as coach of the defensive ends after working with the safeties in 2006. A guard and center for the Trojans in the mid-1990s, Turner previously worked with the offense, focusing primarily on tight ends and wide receivers.
In five years with the program, Troy compiled a 33-27 (55%) mark overall while going 20-8 (71.4%) in Sun Belt action. The Trojans earned invitations to a pair of bowl games — they were an at-large participant in the 2004 Silicon Valley Bowl, and they defeated Rice 41-17 in the 2006 New Orleans Bowl after receiving the bid as SBC champion — while winning league titles in each of his last two years.
During Turner’s playing career, the Trojans posted a 31-6-1 (82.9%) record, including the school’s first perfect regular-season (11-0) in 1995. In 1993, Troy advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs with victories over Stephen F. Austin and McNeese State, while the 1994 and 1995 squads qualified for postseason play as well.
A native of Fort Meade, Fla., Turner began his coaching career as a graduate assistant with the Trojans from 1999-01. Troy recorded a winning record all three seasons, posting a 28-8 (77.8%) mark in that span including a 13-1 (92.9%) record in Southland Football League action. The Trojans won the conference championship in both 1999 and ’00 before moving up to the NCAA Division I-A level his final year. Troy advanced to the quarterfinals of the playoffs his first season as a graduate assistant while participating in postseason play the following fall as well.
His first full-time appointment came in 2002, when he spent a year as offensive line coach at North Alabama before returning to Troy.
Turner joined his brother John on the USA football staff, making South Alabama one of the few programs at the NCAA Division I-A (Football Bowl Subdivision) level with brothers patrolling the same sideline. Their father, Blaine, played football at University of Tampa and later coached at the high school level for 30 years, while their sister, Kristin, was a Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleader for five years.
Turner completed his bachelor’s degree in social science in 2000. He is married to the former Kristi Jernigan, and has one daughter, Bryce (2).
The Turner File
Born: Jan. 14, 1975, in Lakeland, Fla.
Education:
Troy ’00, bachelor’s degree in social science
Collegiate Playing Experience:
Three years, offensive line, Troy
Coaching Experience:
Troy — graduate assistant, 1999-01
North Alabama — assistant coach, 2002
Troy — assistant coach, 2003-07
South Alabama — assistant coach, 2008-
Family: Wife, Kristi; One daughter, Bryce (2)
