High Energy Nose Guard Alex Turner Will Anchor ECU's Defensive Line
Alex Turner, who was recently named a nominee for the 2018 National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete Award, enters this week’s season opener excited about the possibilities that are in front of both he and his teammates this season.
The 6-2, 292 pound junior out of Houston recorded just 17 tackles in ten games last season with just six starts, but he showed flashes of what he is capable of doing both this spring and summer. He came into fall camp with high hopes and now stands ready to see some of his dreams to fruition when the Pirates open the season this Saturday night against N.C. A&T.
“We’re extremely excited as team and as a unit. We’re just ready to get out there, work really hard and show them what Pirate Nation is really about,” Turner told PirateIllustrated.com.
Turner, who is also one of 169 college football players to be nominated for the 2018 Allstate American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team®. The award recognizes the selfless contributions to volunteerism and community service made by college football student-athletes across the nation.
He was also named the team's Defensive Big Man-of-the-Year as a sophomore and has worked hard off the field volunteering with programs such as Aces for Autism, Special Olympics, Vidant Children's Hospital, annual Goldspy's Gala and the ECU Baseball Banquet.
New defensive line coach Rod Wright has had good things to say about Turner's progress this fall as we enter week one of the 2018 ECU football season.
“Inside, Alex Turner has been really good for us. A guy who has some starts under his belt and has been able to take his stuff that he learned last year into this year as a junior for us. He’s been a leader, said Wright, "He’s been one of the toughest if not the toughest guys on our defense. He has been very solid for us.”
Turner outlined the things he and his teammates have been focusing on the most as game day approaches.
“Up front we have just been working hard on fundamentals and technique and we’ve just been getting after it, running to the ball constantly and really ready to show everyone our effort and hard work,” said Turner.
Turner is set to start at nose tackle and hopes to anchor a Pirate defensive line that is working hard to transform from one of the lowest ranked defenses to one of the better ones in the country. He outlined two aspects where he has made the most improvement.
“I think my movement and my pass rush,” Turner told PI on Wednesday.
A&T State is one of the best FCS level teams in the country. They enter the game on a 27-game win streak. Teams like that can compete with the vast majority of FBS opponents and this game is not likely to be a cake walk for ECU. Turner talked about the chief focus of his defense coming into the game.
“They’re obviously a team to respect. They’ve done good in the last two years but I think any team can be brought down with hard work and effort and that’s what we bring to the table. We’re just going to out work them.”
Saturday’s season opener between ECU and N.C. A&T is set for 6 o’clock in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. Stay tuned for continuing coverage both before and after the game here on PirateIllustrated.com.
Catch the complete audio of our conversation with nose guard Alex Turner and stay tuned for more here on PI.
ALEX TURNER TALKS ABOUT SATURDAY'S SEASON OPENER IN DOWDY-FICKLEN STADIUM
