Photo by: Texas A&M Athletics
Sumlin hires Turner to oversee Texas A&M DTs, run-game defense
Mar 04, 2016 | Football
COLLEGE STATION, Texas. – A veteran of more than 15 seasons as a defensive line coach in the Southeastern Conference, David Turner was hired to oversee Texas A&M's defensive tackles and serve as the defensive run-game coordinator, fifth-year Aggie head coach Kevin Sumlin announced.
Widely regarded as one of the top defensive line coaches in the nation, Turner comes to Texas A&M from Mississippi State where he spent six seasons in two stints – 2007-09 and 2013-15.
A veteran of 30 years as a collegiate coach with 16 seasons of experience in the Southeastern Conference, Turner mentored current NFL standouts Fletcher Cox, Kyle Love, Pernell McPhee, Josh Boyd and most recently Preston Smith. Cox was ranked among the NFL's top 10 best defensive players by NFL.com in December 2014, while McPhee signed a $40 million deal with the Chicago Bears in March 2015 as one of the league's top pass rushers. Smith was among the Washington Redskins' sack leaders with eight as a rookie in 2015.
Turner's defensive fronts at Mississippi State earned a reputation for being consistently disruptive and putting pressure on the opposing quarterback. Over the past two seasons, the Bulldogs piled up over 180 tackles for loss, including 68 quarterback sacks. In 2015, the Bulldogs set a school record with 98 tackles for loss, while the 2014 unit produced 37 sacks, which ranked No. 2 in the SEC and were the third-most in school history.
Smith, who arrived in Starkville as a three-star recruit, developed into a disruptive force on the line under Turner's guidance. As a senior, he ranked sixth in the SEC in sacks (nine) and fifth in tackles for loss (15), both of which ranked among the top six single-season marks in school history. Smith's banner year was capped when he became the second-highest drafted Bulldog defensive lineman since 1983.
At Kentucky, Turner helped the defense improve in tackles for loss, sacks and rushing yards allowed from the year prior to his hire. The Wildcats improved their sacks-per-game average each season under Turner's watch, posting more than two per game in 2012.
Turner originally joined the MSU staff in 2007 after one season at Alabama. He coached the Crimson Tide defensive ends during his lone campaign in Tuscaloosa. Alabama finished 23rd nationally in total defense in 2006 and advanced to the Independence Bowl.
Prior to Alabama, Turner was the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Vanderbilt from 2002-05. One of his linemen, tackle Jovan Haye, went on to the NFL. Vanderbilt had a significant upgrade in talent level during Turner's term as recruiting coordinator as he helped bring in the players for the Commodores' eventual Music City Bowl championship in 2008.
A native of Goldston, N.C., Turner also has worked in the Big Ten Conference at Minnesota (2001), where he worked with the defensive ends, and in the Atlantic Coast Conference at Virginia (1997-2000), where he coached defensive tackles and linebackers. He also was co-special teams coordinator in his final season. The Cavaliers played in the Peach Bowl, Micronpc.com Bowl and the Oahu Classic during his term there.
Turner began his collegiate coaching career in 1986 as an assistant at his alma mater, Davidson College. He worked with the running backs and tight ends over a two-year stretch. In 1988, he moved to North Carolina State, serving two years as a defensive graduate assistant. He worked with a Wolfpack unit that ranked first in the ACC in total defense in 1988 while playing in the Peach Bowl and Copper Bowl.
He spent one year as the defensive line coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, helping the team to a 12-2 overall record while reaching the Division II national championship game. He also worked two seasons at James Madison, helping the Dukes to a 9-4 record and a berth in the 1991 Division I-AA playoff s.
Turner returned to the Division I-A ranks in 1993. He spent two seasons as defensive ends coach at Kentucky, where he helped the Wildcats advance to the '93 Peach Bowl. In 1995, he went back to NC State, coaching defensive ends and linebackers before going to Virginia in '97.
Turner, who graduated from Davidson in 1985 with a degree in sociology, is married to the former Yvette Modica and the couple has two daughters, Bianca and Alexyia.
The Turner File
Hometown Goldston, N.C.
College Davidson
Degree B.A. in sociology, 1985
Wife Yvette
Children Bianca, Alexyia
COACHING CAREER
2016- Texas A&M (Defensive Line)
2013-15 Mississippi State (Defensive Line)
2010-12 Kentucky (Defensive Line)
2007-09 Mississippi State (Defensive Line)
2006 Alabama (Defensive Ends)
2002-05 Vanderbilt (Defensive Line/Recruiting Coordinator)
2001 Minnesota (Defensive Ends)
1997-2000 Virginia (Defensive Tackles/Linebackers)
1995-96 North Carolina State (Defensive Tackles/Linebackers)
1993-94 Kentucky (Defensive Ends)
1991-92 James Madison
1990 Indiana University of Pennsylvania
1988-89 North Carolina State (Graduate Assistant)
1987 Davidson (Outside Linebackers)
1986 Davidson (Running Backs/Tight Ends)
BOWL GAMES AS A COACH
2015 Belk Bowl (Mississippi State)
2014 Orange Bowl (Mississippi State)
2013 Liberty Bowl (Mississippi State)
2011 BBVA Compass Bowl (Kentucky)
2007 Liberty Bowl (Mississippi State)
2006 Independence Bowl (Alabama)
2000 Oahu Bowl (Virginia)
1999 Micronpc.com Bowl (Virginia)
1998 Chick-fil-A Bowl (Virginia)
1993 Peach Bowl (Kentucky)
1989 Copper Bowl (NC State)
1988 Peach Bowl (NC State)
Widely regarded as one of the top defensive line coaches in the nation, Turner comes to Texas A&M from Mississippi State where he spent six seasons in two stints – 2007-09 and 2013-15.
A veteran of 30 years as a collegiate coach with 16 seasons of experience in the Southeastern Conference, Turner mentored current NFL standouts Fletcher Cox, Kyle Love, Pernell McPhee, Josh Boyd and most recently Preston Smith. Cox was ranked among the NFL's top 10 best defensive players by NFL.com in December 2014, while McPhee signed a $40 million deal with the Chicago Bears in March 2015 as one of the league's top pass rushers. Smith was among the Washington Redskins' sack leaders with eight as a rookie in 2015.
Turner's defensive fronts at Mississippi State earned a reputation for being consistently disruptive and putting pressure on the opposing quarterback. Over the past two seasons, the Bulldogs piled up over 180 tackles for loss, including 68 quarterback sacks. In 2015, the Bulldogs set a school record with 98 tackles for loss, while the 2014 unit produced 37 sacks, which ranked No. 2 in the SEC and were the third-most in school history.
Smith, who arrived in Starkville as a three-star recruit, developed into a disruptive force on the line under Turner's guidance. As a senior, he ranked sixth in the SEC in sacks (nine) and fifth in tackles for loss (15), both of which ranked among the top six single-season marks in school history. Smith's banner year was capped when he became the second-highest drafted Bulldog defensive lineman since 1983.
At Kentucky, Turner helped the defense improve in tackles for loss, sacks and rushing yards allowed from the year prior to his hire. The Wildcats improved their sacks-per-game average each season under Turner's watch, posting more than two per game in 2012.
Turner originally joined the MSU staff in 2007 after one season at Alabama. He coached the Crimson Tide defensive ends during his lone campaign in Tuscaloosa. Alabama finished 23rd nationally in total defense in 2006 and advanced to the Independence Bowl.
Prior to Alabama, Turner was the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Vanderbilt from 2002-05. One of his linemen, tackle Jovan Haye, went on to the NFL. Vanderbilt had a significant upgrade in talent level during Turner's term as recruiting coordinator as he helped bring in the players for the Commodores' eventual Music City Bowl championship in 2008.
A native of Goldston, N.C., Turner also has worked in the Big Ten Conference at Minnesota (2001), where he worked with the defensive ends, and in the Atlantic Coast Conference at Virginia (1997-2000), where he coached defensive tackles and linebackers. He also was co-special teams coordinator in his final season. The Cavaliers played in the Peach Bowl, Micronpc.com Bowl and the Oahu Classic during his term there.
Turner began his collegiate coaching career in 1986 as an assistant at his alma mater, Davidson College. He worked with the running backs and tight ends over a two-year stretch. In 1988, he moved to North Carolina State, serving two years as a defensive graduate assistant. He worked with a Wolfpack unit that ranked first in the ACC in total defense in 1988 while playing in the Peach Bowl and Copper Bowl.
He spent one year as the defensive line coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, helping the team to a 12-2 overall record while reaching the Division II national championship game. He also worked two seasons at James Madison, helping the Dukes to a 9-4 record and a berth in the 1991 Division I-AA playoff s.
Turner returned to the Division I-A ranks in 1993. He spent two seasons as defensive ends coach at Kentucky, where he helped the Wildcats advance to the '93 Peach Bowl. In 1995, he went back to NC State, coaching defensive ends and linebackers before going to Virginia in '97.
Turner, who graduated from Davidson in 1985 with a degree in sociology, is married to the former Yvette Modica and the couple has two daughters, Bianca and Alexyia.
The Turner File
Hometown Goldston, N.C.
College Davidson
Degree B.A. in sociology, 1985
Wife Yvette
Children Bianca, Alexyia
COACHING CAREER
2016- Texas A&M (Defensive Line)
2013-15 Mississippi State (Defensive Line)
2010-12 Kentucky (Defensive Line)
2007-09 Mississippi State (Defensive Line)
2006 Alabama (Defensive Ends)
2002-05 Vanderbilt (Defensive Line/Recruiting Coordinator)
2001 Minnesota (Defensive Ends)
1997-2000 Virginia (Defensive Tackles/Linebackers)
1995-96 North Carolina State (Defensive Tackles/Linebackers)
1993-94 Kentucky (Defensive Ends)
1991-92 James Madison
1990 Indiana University of Pennsylvania
1988-89 North Carolina State (Graduate Assistant)
1987 Davidson (Outside Linebackers)
1986 Davidson (Running Backs/Tight Ends)
BOWL GAMES AS A COACH
2015 Belk Bowl (Mississippi State)
2014 Orange Bowl (Mississippi State)
2013 Liberty Bowl (Mississippi State)
2011 BBVA Compass Bowl (Kentucky)
2007 Liberty Bowl (Mississippi State)
2006 Independence Bowl (Alabama)
2000 Oahu Bowl (Virginia)
1999 Micronpc.com Bowl (Virginia)
1998 Chick-fil-A Bowl (Virginia)
1993 Peach Bowl (Kentucky)
1989 Copper Bowl (NC State)
1988 Peach Bowl (NC State)
One-on-One: Adam Cushing
Thursday, September 11
The Aggie Football Hour (Ep 3)
Wednesday, September 10
The Pulse #12.2 | Family Over Everything
Wednesday, September 10
One-on-One: Will Lee III
Wednesday, September 10
