A veteran coach with more than three decades of experience, David Turner is in his first season as UTSA’s defensive line coach.
During his coaching career, Turner has mentored several NFL players, including 2017 overall No. 1 selection Myles Garrett, 2012 12th overall selection Fletcher Cox, Josh Boyd, Jovan Haye, Kyle Love, Pernell McPhee and Preston Smith.
Turner coached the defensive tackles and was the defensive run game coordinator during the 2016 and '17 seasons at Texas A&M, where he helped the Aggies to back-to-back bowl appearances.
Turner spent six seasons at Mississippi State in two separate stints – 2007-09 and 2013-15. During his most recent tenure in Starkville, the Bulldogs piled up more than 180 tackles for loss, including 68 quarterback sacks. In 2015, the Bulldogs set a school record with 98 tackles for loss, while the 2014 unit produced 37 sacks, which ranked No. 2 in the SEC and were the third-most in school history.
In between his two tenures at Mississippi State, Turner spent three seasons (2010-12) at Kentucky. He helped the Wildcats improved their sacks-per-game average each season under his watch, including posting more than two per game in 2012.
Turner coached the Alabama defensive ends during his lone campaign in Tuscaloosa in 2006. Alabama finished 23rd nationally in total defense in 2006 and appeared in the Independence Bowl.
Prior to Alabama, Turner was the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Vanderbilt from 2002-05. He helped the Commodores to a win in the 2008 Music City Bowl.
Turner also has worked in the Big Ten Conference at Minnesota (2001), where he worked with the defensive ends, and in the Atlantic Coast Conference at Virginia (1997-2000), where he coached defensive tackles and linebackers. He also was co-special teams coordinator in his final season. The Cavaliers played in the Peach Bowl, Micronpc.com Bowl and the Oahu Classic during his tenure.
A native of Goldston, N.C., he began his collegiate coaching career in 1986 as an assistant at his alma mater, Davidson College. He worked with the running backs and tight ends over a two-year stretch.
In 1988, he moved to North Carolina State, serving two years as a defensive graduate assistant. He worked with a Wolfpack unit that ranked first in the ACC in total defense in 1988 while playing in the Peach Bowl and Copper Bowl.
He spent one year as the defensive line coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, helping the team to a 12-2 overall record and an appearance in the Division II National Championship game. He also worked two seasons at James Madison, helping the Dukes to a 9-4 record and a berth in the 1991 Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
Turner spent the 1993 and '94 seasons as defensive ends coach at Kentucky, where he helped the Wildcats advance to the Peach Bowl. He then returned to NC State to coach the defensive ends and linebackers for the 1995 and '96 campaigns.
Turner earned his bachelor's degree in sociology from Davidson in 1985.
He is married to the former Yvette Modica and the couple has two daughters, Bianca and Alexyia.
The David Turner File
Coaching Experience
• 2018-present: UTSA, assistant coach/defensive line
• 2016-17: Texas A&M, defensive run game coordinator/defensive tackles
• 2013-15: Mississippi State, assistant coach/defensive line
• 2010-12: Kentucky, assistant coach/defensive line
• 2007-09: Mississippi State, assistant coach/defensive line
• 2006: Alabama, assistant coach/defensive ends
• 2002-05: Vanderbilt, assistant coach/defensive line
• 2001: Minnesota, assistant coach/defensive ends
• 1997-2000: Virginia, assistant coach/defensive tackles/linebackers
• 1995-96: North Carolina State, assistant coach/defensive ends/linebackers
• 1993-94: Kentucky, assistant coach/defensive ends
• 1991-92: James Madison, assistant coach
• 1990: Indiana (Pennsylvania), assistant coach/defensive line
• 1988-89: North Carolina State, graduate assistant/defense
• 1986-87: Davidson, assistant coach/running backs/tight ends
Prominent Players Coached
• Josh Boyd, DE
• Fletcher Cox, DT
• Myles Garrett, DE
• Jovan Haye, DL
• Kyle Love, DT
• Pernell McPhee, LB
• Preston Smith, LB
Playing Experience
• 1981-84: Davidson, RB
Education
• Bachelor’s degree in sociology, Davidson, 1985
Family
• Wife: Yvette
• Children: Bianca, Alexyia
During his coaching career, Turner has mentored several NFL players, including 2017 overall No. 1 selection Myles Garrett, 2012 12th overall selection Fletcher Cox, Josh Boyd, Jovan Haye, Kyle Love, Pernell McPhee and Preston Smith.
Turner coached the defensive tackles and was the defensive run game coordinator during the 2016 and '17 seasons at Texas A&M, where he helped the Aggies to back-to-back bowl appearances.
Turner spent six seasons at Mississippi State in two separate stints – 2007-09 and 2013-15. During his most recent tenure in Starkville, the Bulldogs piled up more than 180 tackles for loss, including 68 quarterback sacks. In 2015, the Bulldogs set a school record with 98 tackles for loss, while the 2014 unit produced 37 sacks, which ranked No. 2 in the SEC and were the third-most in school history.
In between his two tenures at Mississippi State, Turner spent three seasons (2010-12) at Kentucky. He helped the Wildcats improved their sacks-per-game average each season under his watch, including posting more than two per game in 2012.
Turner coached the Alabama defensive ends during his lone campaign in Tuscaloosa in 2006. Alabama finished 23rd nationally in total defense in 2006 and appeared in the Independence Bowl.
Prior to Alabama, Turner was the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Vanderbilt from 2002-05. He helped the Commodores to a win in the 2008 Music City Bowl.
Turner also has worked in the Big Ten Conference at Minnesota (2001), where he worked with the defensive ends, and in the Atlantic Coast Conference at Virginia (1997-2000), where he coached defensive tackles and linebackers. He also was co-special teams coordinator in his final season. The Cavaliers played in the Peach Bowl, Micronpc.com Bowl and the Oahu Classic during his tenure.
A native of Goldston, N.C., he began his collegiate coaching career in 1986 as an assistant at his alma mater, Davidson College. He worked with the running backs and tight ends over a two-year stretch.
In 1988, he moved to North Carolina State, serving two years as a defensive graduate assistant. He worked with a Wolfpack unit that ranked first in the ACC in total defense in 1988 while playing in the Peach Bowl and Copper Bowl.
He spent one year as the defensive line coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, helping the team to a 12-2 overall record and an appearance in the Division II National Championship game. He also worked two seasons at James Madison, helping the Dukes to a 9-4 record and a berth in the 1991 Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
Turner spent the 1993 and '94 seasons as defensive ends coach at Kentucky, where he helped the Wildcats advance to the Peach Bowl. He then returned to NC State to coach the defensive ends and linebackers for the 1995 and '96 campaigns.
Turner earned his bachelor's degree in sociology from Davidson in 1985.
He is married to the former Yvette Modica and the couple has two daughters, Bianca and Alexyia.
The David Turner File
Coaching Experience
• 2018-present: UTSA, assistant coach/defensive line
• 2016-17: Texas A&M, defensive run game coordinator/defensive tackles
• 2013-15: Mississippi State, assistant coach/defensive line
• 2010-12: Kentucky, assistant coach/defensive line
• 2007-09: Mississippi State, assistant coach/defensive line
• 2006: Alabama, assistant coach/defensive ends
• 2002-05: Vanderbilt, assistant coach/defensive line
• 2001: Minnesota, assistant coach/defensive ends
• 1997-2000: Virginia, assistant coach/defensive tackles/linebackers
• 1995-96: North Carolina State, assistant coach/defensive ends/linebackers
• 1993-94: Kentucky, assistant coach/defensive ends
• 1991-92: James Madison, assistant coach
• 1990: Indiana (Pennsylvania), assistant coach/defensive line
• 1988-89: North Carolina State, graduate assistant/defense
• 1986-87: Davidson, assistant coach/running backs/tight ends
Prominent Players Coached
• Josh Boyd, DE
• Fletcher Cox, DT
• Myles Garrett, DE
• Jovan Haye, DL
• Kyle Love, DT
• Pernell McPhee, LB
• Preston Smith, LB
Playing Experience
• 1981-84: Davidson, RB
Education
• Bachelor’s degree in sociology, Davidson, 1985
Family
• Wife: Yvette
• Children: Bianca, Alexyia