Jonathan Jacobskind/staff writer
If there is one thing Head Coach Ron Turner and his newly appointed coaching staff don’t lack heading into their first year at FIU, it’s experience. FIU’s new men in charge boast a combined 30 years of NFL experience.
Aside from experience, there won’t be a need for icebreakers with this coaching staff as Ron Turner went the familiarity route when hiring his staff.
“I choose guys that I know what kind of people they are, what kind of character they have, and what kind of teachers or communicators they are. That is what’s most important to me,” Ron Turner said. “These guys have a great mix of experience and youth, high-energy guys that can relate to the players.”
Ron Turner turned over a new leaf for FIU football, keeping only one position coach — running backs coach Apollo Wright from Mario Cristobal’s staff.
Wright, however, left FIU on Feb. 18 to reprise his same role in the University of New Mexico.
With South Florida being a hotbed for high school football talent and Cristobal’s former staff knowing the area real well, it begs the question as why not keep some of Cristobal’s coaches in order to reel in some of the area’s finest athletes.
“I didn’t want to necessarily just come in and clean house. I wanted to find the best people that where the best fit for the direction that we’re trying to go,” Ron Turner said. “ I had an open mind and spoke to everyone on the staff.”
As if Ron Turner could not surround himself enough with guys that satisfy his niche, the former Super Bowl participant hired his two sons to his coach staff. Cameron Turner, who is coming off a year stint as an assistant to head coach of the Minnesota Vikings will coach quarterbacks and receivers, while Morgan Turner, a former offensive assistant for the Stanford Cardinals, will coach the offensive line and tight ends.
Getting his sons to FIU was actually a difficult task, according to Ron Turner. He had to do his best to pry them from their previous jobs.
“They both had great jobs where they were, I had to fight to get them,” Ron Turner said. “We have been sitting in some of the meetings talking terminology and talking football and I enjoy listening to them, they both have great ideas. They have done a great job of preparing for this.”
As soon as Ron Turner was hired on Jan. 4, it was not the smoothest of transitions. Upon getting the call by athletic director Pete Garcia, he has been hired, Ron Turner was faced with daunting task of compiling a recruiting class while hiring his coaching staff, all at the same time.
“It’s part of the job. It was non-stop and tough, but in a good way,” Ron Turner said. “A lot of things were going on, a lot of balls were in the air but we finally were able to get together a great coaching staff and recruiting class.”
With those priorities now in check and finally settling into his reins as head coach, Ron Turner is looking forward to doing what he came here to do: coach football and contour the minds of young student athletes.
“When I first got here my main focus were on recruiting and getting my staff together, so I told our guys that they’re the most important part of program because for the next three weeks I’m going to be gone,” Ron Turner said. “We’re just anxious to finally get back out there on the field with the players and get to know them as people.”
