The Best Clemson Safety in over 18 Years?
By Zach Wagner
Since Head Coach Dabo Swinney took over the helm of the Clemson Football Team in 2008, there has been an abundance of talent for the Tigers make their way to the National Football League. Names that include the likes of Deshaun Watson, Deandre Hopkins, Christain Wilkins and Isaiah Simmons are a few that come to mind.
What if I were to tell you that the best safety in the 18 years that Coach Swinney has been at Clemson, was a recruit that had no offers and was someone that Swinney offered to play at Clemson because of connections with his father. That player would be Nolan Turner, and this is the story of how the senior has become one of the best safeties in the nation, and possibly the best one in Clemson history.
Turner, who was an unranked recruit coming out of high school in Alabama, was offered by Dabo Swinney because of ties dating back to the Head Coach’s time at Alabama, where he played with Turner’s father Kevin. Before Lou Gherig’s Disease, also known as ALS, took Kevin Turner’s life in 2016, he asked Swinney to watch over his son, who had committed to play for his college buddy at Clemson.
Fast forward to Turners’ senior season at Clemson and he has gotten nothing but praise from his Head Coach and the Tiger players.
“Turner might be the best safety we have had here in the 18 years since I got here.” Said Dabo Swinney to the media following the Tigers win over Syracuse, where Turner recorded his third interception of the season.
So how did a kid, who wasn’t ranked coming out of high school and only had two walk-on spots offered before Swinney offered him a full-scholarship, become one of the best safeties in the nation?
After sitting out the spring portion of practice due to surgery on his knee, Turner has taken on an increased leadership role on the defensive side of the ball for the Tigers this season.
In seven games so far this season, the senior leads the team in interceptions (3) and has totaled 22 tackles, with three of those coming behind the line of scrimmage.
Last season, Turner had the game sealing interception against Ohio State in the fourth quarter of the College Football Playoff Semifinals, which came after Turner got beat by OSU’s wide receiver for the go-ahead score earlier in the quarter.
Turner’s favorite interception came against Notre Dame in the 2018 Cotton Bowl, his first one of his collegiate career.
Last week against Boston College, Turner registered his fourth interception of the season, making an unbelievable adjustment to the ball falling on his back. The play got called back due to a roughing the passer call on the quarterback.
Turner will have another chance to get an interception against Notre Dame this weekend. The talk all week has been about how well the Fighting Irish’s secondary, but Turner and company will have a chance to change that narrative this Saturday at 7:30 pm on NBC.
