Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 30, 1994 TAG: 9401300070
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: ATLANTA LENGTH: Medium
"It probably will hit me a couple of hours after the game that I probably won't be with the Cowboys any more," Turner said. "The three years I've had with the Cowboys have been just fabulous."
Turner, a low-key mastermind who turned the Cowboys offensive machine into one of the most feared in the NFL, will fly to Washington early next week.
If he likes what he hears from the Redskins about their vacant head coaching job, he could be going against the Cowboys twice a year in the NFC East.
"Washington contacted me and I have a strong interest in that situation," Turner said. "I understand Phoenix could contact me, but we'll see what happens."
How could Turner leave a team with such young talent and with the potential of reaching more Super Bowls?
"I'm excited by challenges," he said.
Wide receiver Michael Irvin said there's no doubt the Cowboys will lose Turner.
"For sure, this is his last game with us," Irvin said. "I'm selfish and wish he would stay. This man is a serious competitor. I'd like to thank him for helping change our team."
Turner learned his trade in California from John Robinson, Don Coryell and Ernie Zampese.
"It's an aggressive-style offense," Turner said. "You go after people. It's a timing offense where you get rid of the ball quickly."
The Cowboys almost didn't get Turner. Head coach Jimmy Johnson offered the job to Gary Stevens, the Miami offensive coordinator, who accepted it, then rejected it.
It was a job that came open suddenly when Johnson decided David Shula wasn't the answer as an offensive coordinator. Shula, the son of Miami coach Don Shula, eventually became head coach at Cincinnati.
Turner was a name Johnson didn't know.
Dave Wannstedt, the Cowboys defensive coordinator before going to Chicago as head coach, remembered Turner from the days when they were on the Southern California staff together.
"I was coaching the defensive backs," Turner said with a laugh. "I guess Dave saw something."
Turner calls his coaching philosophy a mix and match.
"We've taken thoughts from different people, some San Francisco 49ers stuff, some Redskins stuff from Joe Gibbs, and some stuff that we've come up with on our own," Turner said.
It's been a rocket-ride - from Los Angeles Rams assistant four years ago under Zampese to two Super Bowl teams and perhaps his own head coaching job in the NFL.
"I guess I've always been tinkering with offense," Turner said. "I didn't have a good enough arm or speed to make it in the NFL as a player. So this is the way I've done it."
Johnson thinks Turner will be an excellent NFL coach.
"It's a compliment to our program," he said. "I lost my best friend when Wannstedt left last year, but it was something he had always wanted to do.
"We'll survive it. Of my 16 years in coaching, I've had staff changes for 15 of them."
Turner approaches the game with the same calm as former Cowboys coach Tom Landry.
"Emotion doesn't help," he said. "Work does."
The last calculating, emotionless, hard-working coach the Redskins had was Joe Gibbs - and he took them to four Super Bowls.
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB