Bobby Turner was hired as assistant head coach/running backs on Jan. 14, 2010, reuniting him with Redskins executive vice president/head coach Mike Shanahan, who he worked under with the Denver Broncos.
Turner comes to Washington after spending the previous 15 seasons (1995-2009) as the Broncos’ running backs coach, where he was part of teams that earned two Super Bowl victories (1997-98), three AFC West titles (1996, 1998, 2005) and seven playoff berths (1996-98, 2000, 2003-05).
During his 15 seasons in Denver, the Broncos produced the most rushing yards (32,829) and the most total yards (86,523) in the NFL. Over that span, six different running backs rushed for at least 1,000 yards in a single season, including Tatum Bell, Terrell Davis, Reuben Droughns, Clinton Portis, Mike Anderson and Olandis Gary.
Turner helped the Broncos record 11 individual 1,000-yard rushing seasons during his tenure, a total that ties for the third-most in the league and one that includes an NFL-record four-year streak of having a different 1,000-yard rusher from 2003-06.
Under Turner, the Broncos ranked among the NFL’s top five in rushing during 10 of his 15 seasons, and 16 different running backs posted at least one 100-yard rushing game in the regular season or playoffs under Turner’s guidance, a total higher than any other team in the NFL since 1995.
Last season, Turner helped Knowshon Moreno lead all rookies in rushing (947 yards), yards from scrimmage (1,160) and touchdowns (7).
The Broncos posted 105 individual 100-yard rushing games in the 15 seasons under Turner, whose list of 100-yard running backs includes: Davis (41 100-yd. games), Portis (18), Anderson (12), Tatum Bell (9), Droughns (6), Gary (4), Travis Henry (3), Correll Buckhalter (2), Quentin Griffin (2), Young (2), Mike Bell (1), Aaron Craver (1), Peyton Hillis (1), Derek Loville (1), Glyn Milburn (1) and Michael Pittman (1).
Before his arrival in Denver, Turner was assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and running backs coach at Purdue University from 1991-94.
During his tenure at Purdue, the Boilermakers’ running game and entire offense improved each season, going from 106th in the nation in 1990 to 12th in 1994, a season in which it set numerous school records including rushing touchdowns (36) and average yards per carry (5.01). The offense produced 336 points, the highest Purdue total since 1969. Turner’s backfield also produced the school’s first 1,000-yard rusher in 18 years in All-Big Ten second-team selection Mike Alstott (1,188 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns).
Four different Boilermakers rushed for more than 100 yards in a game in 1992, a total of seven times, and in 1991, Turner coached the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in running back Corey Rodgers, as well as former Cincinnati Bengal Jeff Hill.
Turner served as the running backs coach at Ohio State University from 1989-90, during which time the Buckeyes went to two bowl games and had one of the best running games in the Big Ten. His 1990 backfield consisted of five future NFL running backs, highlighted by Robert Smith who finished the season with 1,126 yards and eight touchdowns and was named Big Ten and National Freshman of the Year.
Before his stint at Ohio State, Turner coached the running backs at Fresno State (1983-88) and at his alma mater Indiana State (1975-82).
Turner started his college coaching career at Indiana State in 1975, coaching running backs and quarterbacks and also working as the team’s strength and conditioning coordinator.
Turner was Indiana State’s defensive backs coach as well as strength and conditioning coordinator from 1976-77 before working as running backs coach and special teams coordinator from 1978-81. In his final year at Indiana State in 1982, he coached defensive backs and served as special teams coordinator.
During his eight years on Indiana State’s coaching staff, Turner recruited and coached two All-American defensive backs -- Wayne Davis (Chargers, Redskins) and Vencie Glenn (Chargers, Vikings). He also helped ISU running back Vincent Allen post a 1,000-yard rushing season in 1975.
Turner began his coaching career at Haworth High School in Kokomo, Ind., as an assistant with the football and basketball teams from 1972-74.
A native of East Chicago, Ind. (5/6/49), Turner enjoyed a career as an all-conference defensive back at Indiana State, where he played both football and basketball. He tied the school’s single-season record as a sophomore by posting nine of his 16 career interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns. He earned his Bachelor's degree from Indiana State in health and physical education in 1972 before receiving his Master’s degree from the school in education/administration in 1976.
Turner, attended East Chicago Washington High School, where he played four sports (football, basketball, baseball and track). He was inducted in 1993 into the Indiana High School Basketball Hall of Fame Silver Anniversary Team and was voted into the East Chicago, Ind., Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.
Bobby and his wife, Kimberly, have three daughters: Nacole, Krishana and Kiaana.
