Brennan’s Tyler Turner plays all over the place

After four years of facing Tyler Turner in practice, Brennan quarterback Ashton Dubose is grateful they’re on the same sideline on game days.

Turner, who is one of the state’s top safeties and is committed to Oregon, has been Dubose’s main nemesis in practice since they both made varsity as freshmen three years ago.

“Some days I hate it, because he has his good days where he’s really that guy,” Dubose said. “It’s a good experience to go against person like that because he’s a really good player, and I can’t wait to see him at the college level.”

Turner is listed as a safety, but his strength is his versatility. He can play both safety spots, cornerback and any linebacker position. The 6-foot, 180-pound Turner is strong in coverage and run support.

“For the offense to not really know what I’m going to do or where I’m going to be, I think it’s really good scheme-wise,” Turner said. “I’m just filling in where I’m needed, really, and just using my skill set to benefit the team.”

Brennan coach Steve Basore said Turner’s intelligence has enabled him to not only take on several positions, but excel in them.

“That’s just a grasp of understanding the game of football,” Basore said. “Sometimes, you got to be the inside player. Sometimes, you got to be the outside player. Sometimes, you got to play in space. Sometimes, you got to play in a phone booth. All these positions require different things, and he’s able to pick up on those.”

Being a fourth-year starter has aided in that development.

“Over the four years I’ve been here, learning different concepts comes relatively easy to me whether it be football or school or anything,” said Turner, who has played in nearly 40 varsity games in three-plus seasons. “It’s like second nature to me at this point.”

Basore added: “He just sees the game faster, plays the game faster. That’s goes back to the experience of having played as a freshman, sophomore, junior and now, a senior.”

That versatility will come in handy Friday when the No. 2 Bears face No. 7 Harlan in the Express-News Game of the Week at Gustafson Stadium.

Harlan (2-0) has a balanced offense featuring the running back tandem of Jacob Gonzales (24 rushes for 236 yards) and C.J. Jackson (23-143).

Dubose has passed for 602 yards and nine touchdowns for the 1-1 Bears. The Express-News selected Dubose as its 2021 Offensive Player of the Year after he passed for 3,623 yards and an area-record 53 touchdowns. He also rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and 15 scores.

Dubose credits Turner with helping him reach that level.

“As a quarterback, if you have a safety who can play D-line, linebacker, safety, cornerback, it’s hard because you never know where he’s going to be,” Dubose said. “You have to be careful in what you do.”

Turner earned a spot on the 2021 Express-News All-Area Class 6A squad after he recorded 133 tackles and three interceptions.

He has improved since his varsity debut in 2019, when he allowed a long pass in a 17-0 victory over Reagan in the season opener. He said it was a great lesson in the importance of preparation.

“In middle school football, you really didn’t have to know too much,” Turner said. “You just kind of went out there and played. In high school, you have to use your head more, and as you progress through playing college and pro football, it’s more of a mental thing.”

Turner ascended on recruiting radars in 2021 when he received his first offer from Baylor. He accepted that offer in January before withdrawing his commitment in March.

Turner had nearly 20 offers, which included Texas, UTSA, USC, Auburn and Oklahoma. He made an official visit with the Sooners and then Oregon in June.

Several days after his Oregon visit, Turner committed to the Ducks. The coach who recruited him at Baylor, Matt Powledge, is in his second season as the co-defensive coordinator at Oregon.

Commitments are nonbinding. The first day a football recruit can sign a national letter of intent is Dec. 21.

“I always wanted to play college football, and no one really knows what it’s like being recruited,” Turner said. “I told myself, my opportunity is right there and I can go to college for free and live out my dream of playing college football and hopefully playing football at the highest level.”

dhinojosa@express-news.net

Twitter: @hinojosa_david