Carson-Newman selects Turner as Sparks' replacement

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. (AP) Carson-Newman has promoted offensive coordinator Mike Turner to succeed 338-game winner Ken Sparks as head coach. Sparks retired

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. (AP) Carson-Newman has promoted offensive coordinator Mike Turner to succeed 338-game winner Ken Sparks as head coach.

Sparks retired Monday after going 338-99-2 in 37 seasons at Carson-Newman to rank fifth on the NCAA all-time career wins list. The Division II program announced Tuesday that Turner would take over for him.

Turner is a former Carson-Newman center who graduated in 1973. He had his first stint as Carson-Newman's offensive coordinator from 1987-91 before leaving to take a high school head coaching job. Turner took over as Carson-Newman's offensive coordinator again in 1995 and had been there ever since.

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Carson-Newman went 4-7 this year for just its second losing season under Sparks. Carson-Newman won five NAIA national titles and reached three NCAA Division II championship games during Sparks' tenure.

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