Posted: Aug 03, 2018
VIDEO: Facebook Live
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman head football coach Mike Turner took time from his preparations for C-N's upcoming fall camp to answer questions in the South Atlantic Conference's Digital Media Day.
You can watch a replay of a Facebook Live video of the proceedings and read his answers to questions below.
SAC Office:
Please welcome Carson-Newman head coach Mike Turner. Coach Turner, tell us about your expectations for this season.
CoachTurner_C-N:
Thanks for having me. Our expectations are to compete from day one and for our kids to enjoy the journey that we are about to start on in about 48 hours. We definitely want to be a more sound football team. Our kids found out last year that they can compete and that they can be a contender for a league title and that's one of our goals.
Comment From Brooke
What's your feel of the freshman class coming in?
CoachTurner_C-N:
We're excited about that. We feel like we've met our needs in recruiting and several of those men came over the summer to take classes. We were able to be selective with who we brought in and for what purpose because we have so many returners. We feel that they will elevate us higher.
Comment From FootballFan02
What is it like to be the preseason favorite?
CoachTurner_C-N:
It's exciting. I enjoyed being the fifth pick last year because it was great motivation. Being picked number one, that means something to our players and our alums. It means a lot more if it happens at the end of the year.
Comment From Big Rod Middle
WHY DO U LIKE RUNNING THE WISHBONE SO MUCH?
CoachTurner_C-N:
I did when I was a player here and when I coached at Catawba. But we run the split back veer now. I enjoy the option. It's an equalizer and gives you an opportunity to be balanced.
Comment From FootballFan02
Who do you feel will be your key players this season?
CoachTurner_C-N:
All the kids that are returning are key players. The kids that we recruited, we recruited kids to come play. We want them to compete. We never talked to anyone about being redshirted. Competition makes for better football players. That's why our returners are key. They're battle tested and know how to play together and handle adversity, adversity that we brought upon ourselves. I was proud of our kids at the end of last year about how they learned to handle that.
Comment From CN99
Do you have any stories about Dr. Maddox and what he meant to you?
CoachTurner_C-N:
That guy was such a special friend to me and this football program. He was a three-sport letter winner at Furman. He wouldn't tell this story, but he caught two games of a baseball doubleheader, a tennis match and then played in the football spring game. He's a great example to all of us who are married and have a family because of what he did for his wife in her final days. He meant quite a bit to Carson-Newman athletics. He loved to win and was a great competitor.
That guy was such a special friend to me and this football program. He was a three-sport letter winner at Furman. He wouldn't tell this story, but he caught two games of a baseball doubleheader, a tennis match and then played in the football spring game. He's a great example to all of us who are married and have a family because of what he did for his wife in her final days. He meant quite a bit to Carson-Newman athletics. He loved to win and was a great competitor.