Ron Turner - Bio

Player Bio: Ron Turner :: Football: "In four seasons working with the Chicago Bears, Turner coordinated an offense that improved every season, breaking the club record for passing yards with 233 yards per game in 1995 and producing a 1,000-yard receiver and rusher in the same season"

Although only 50 years old, Turner is a seasoned coaching veteran, spending 20-plus seasons in the collegiate ranks and four years as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach of the National Football League's Chicago Bears.

Turner became the 21st head coach in Illinois football history on Dec. 2, 1996 and recently signed a contract extension that keeps him in Champaign through January of 2007.

The Chicago Bears
In four seasons working with the Chicago Bears, Turner coordinated an offense that improved every season, breaking the club record for passing yards with 233 yards per game in 1995 and producing a 1,000-yard receiver and rusher in the same season. The diversity of the Turner offense in Chicago found success under four different quarterbacks in Jim Harbaugh (1993), Steve Walsh (1994), Erik Kramer (1995) and Dave Krieg (1996). In 1994, the Bears led the NFC Central Division for much of the regular season and defeated division rival Minnesota, 35-18, in a first-round playoff game.

San Jose State
The Martinez, Calif., native entered the professional ranks in 1993 after a long and successful college coaching ledger. In 1992, Turner was named head coach at San Jose State. In just one season, Turner led a remarkable turnaround at SJSU, leading the Spartans to a 7-4 record and a second-place finish in the Big West Conference. Turner guided San Jose State to its best record in six years and directed a potent offense that churned out 400 yards per game while averaging 30 points per contest, good for 15th in the nation.

The Assistant Coach
A proven offensive teacher and tenacious recruiter, Turner spent the previous 16 years as an assistant at the major college level. He earned the San Jose State post after coordinating the Stanford offense for three seasons under Dennis Green. Turner began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Pacific before becoming the receivers coach at the University of Arizona, a post he held for two seasons (1978-79).

After coaching the Arizona running backs in 1980, Turner joined Green at Northwestern University in 1981 where he spent two seasons as quarterbacks/receivers coach. At Northwestern, Turner helped turn the Wildcat offense into one of the most exciting in the Big Ten, tutoring NU quarterback Sandy Schwab to several school and Big Ten records. As an assistant at Northwestern, Turner also recruited all-time NU punt and kickoff return leader Steve Tasker, who went on to a long career in the NFL.

In 1983, Turner became the quarterbacks coach at the University of Pittsburgh, working with Panther QB John Congemi for two seasons. He joined the Ted Tollner staff at Southern California in 1985 in a similar role before he was elevated to offensive coordinator in 1986, coaching 1988 Heisman Trophy runner-up Rodney Peete.

In 1987, new head coach Larry Smith retained Turner on the USC staff as receivers coach as the Trojans romped to the Pac 10 Conference title. The following season, Turner moved to Texas A&M University as the quarterbacks coach before moving to Stanford University in 1989. With the 2002 Sugar Bowl appearance, Turner has been a part of nine bowl teams, including the 1988 Rose Bowl team and the 1991 Stanford Aloha Bowl squad.

The Athlete
As a player, Turner was a second-team junior college All-American wide receiver at Diablo Valley Community College. He earned a scholarship to the University of Pacific and led the Tigers in receiving in 1975 and 1976, catching 40 passes for 666 yards (16.7 avg.) and three touchdowns. The following year, Turner began his coaching career at his alma mater.