Nick Saban had a lot to say at the Alabama Football Coaches Association Conference in Montgomery, Ala.
He discusses several topics to coaches in the room, including three Crimson Tide players that did not take things seriously to help the team win a national championship. Saban ripped three student-athletes, but he also lauded praise on one.
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Dallas Turner entered his freshman season as the No. 3 outside linebacker. He was behind Drew Sanders and Christopher Allen (starter) at the strong-side “SAM” position. Despite enrolling as a five-star, Turner did not immediately start in games.
Allen sustained a foot injury in Alabama’s season opener versus Miami at Mercedes-Ben Stadium. Sanders suffered a hand injury weeks later against Ole Miss. Turner received his first start versus Texas A&M and did not look back. The 6-foot-4, 245-pounder learned from Will Anderson in practice. He gleaned techniques, footwork skills, preparation skills (mental and physical), pass-rushing moves, and confidence from hanging around the sophomore. Anderson took Turner under his wing, and Turner took the coaching. He finished the season with 30 tackles, ten stops for loss, 8.5 sacks, five quarterback hurries, and one fumble recovery.
Turner could have complained about playing time but chose to model the work habits of a great team leader.
Coach Saban did not forget it, and he explained at the ALFCA Conference what made Turner’s production stand out in 2021.
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“Dallas Turner, on the other hand, was third-team when the season started,” Saban said.
“Chris Allen gets hurt in the first game, breaks his foot. Drew Sanders comes in and plays for him. The fifth game of the season, he breaks his hand. Dallas Turner’s over there with Will Anderson, who’s the best competitor on anybody’s team that you could ever ask for. Works hard every day, great leader, sets a great example, does everything you could ask for in a player, and does it right. “So, this guy’s over here with him, trying to be like him. So, he works his butt off, works his but off. He was third-team. Now, the guy goes in and plays the sixth game of the year as a starter – by default, but he prepared himself to do it. Guy made Freshman All-American. I don’t know how many sacks he had. We had 52 sacks. He and Will Anderson had (26) between them. I think he had (8.5), Will had (17.5) or something. But there’s an example of a guy who did it, and because of that, when he got an opportunity, he was ready to take advantage of it.”
Injuries forced Turner into action, but he took every practice rep and opportunity seriously.
When his moment came, Turner was not overwhelmed. He was ready to become an impact player defensively, and he excelled.
He recorded 5.5 of his 8.5 sacks versus Auburn, Georgia (SEC Championship), Cincinnati (College Football Playoff Semifinal), and the Bulldogs again (CFP National Championship). Turner took his freshman season and worked on daily goals.
Coach Saban sees his success as something other young players should model.
“This is a story that every young person should know and understand and see that you don’t get an opportunity,” Saban said.
“You don’t focus on outcomes. You’ve got to focus on the process of what you need to do to get the outcome so that when you get an opportunity, you can take advantage of it. That would be true in your life. That would be true in football. But these kids don’t have an opportunity to learn this any other place. So where are we going to teach them? That’s what we’ve got to do.”
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
