Norv Factor: Stars built by Norv Turner

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Feb 7, 2007

Norv Factor: Stars built by Norv Turner

Troy Aikman

Aikman gives Turner credit for turning him into a Hall of Fame quarterback. Aikman had two awful seasons before joining forces with Turner in 1991 and the two helped Dallas become a Super Bowl team. Turner presented Aikman when he was enshrined in Canton.

Emmitt Smith

The NFL's all-time rushing king had a career-high 1,713 rushing yards in 1992, when Turner was coordinator.

Terry Allen

Allen was a journeyman running back until he joined Turner's Redskins in 1995. Allen topped 1,300 yards in '95 and '96 and ran for 21 TDs in '96. Injuries then limited his career.

Gus Frerotte

Turner helped Frerotte, a seventh-round pick out of Tulsa, become a Pro Bowl quarterback in 1996. Frerotte threw for a career-high 3,453 yards that season.

Stephen Davis

The powerful Davis excelled as Turner's primary back in Washington, rushing for 1,405 yards and 17 TDs in just 14 games in 1999 and 1,318 yards in 2000.

LaDainian Tomlinson

Tomlinson got his start in 2001, when Turner was the offensive coordinator in San Diego. L.T. rushed for 1,236 yards and 10 touchdowns, the beginning of an almost-certain Hall of Fame career.

Brad Johnson

Johnson's game went to a whole new level when he joined Turner in Washington. Johnson threw for a career-high 4,005 yards in 1999.

Doug Flutie

In Flutie's long NFL career, he's never thrown for more yards (3,464) then he did when Turner was offensive coordinator in San Diego in 2001.

Ricky Williams

Williams ran for a career-high 1,853 yards when Turner took over as offensive coordinator of the Dolphins in 2002.

Lamont Jordan

Jordan had 1,025 yards rushing and 563 yards receiving when Turner was head coach of the Raiders in 2004. Jordan's numbers fell off a cliff the next season without Turner.

Alex Smith

Smith, the No. 1 pick in the 2004 draft, did not look like an NFL quarterback until he started working with Turner last year. Smith increased his passer rating from 40.8 in '04 to 74.8 in '05.

Frank Gore

Gore went from 608 rushing yards in 2004 to 1,695 yards under Turner last season. Gore talked about surpassing 2,000 yards next season, but that's unlikely if he doesn't have Turner as coordinator.

Norv Factor: Stars built by Norv Turner