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INDIANAPOLIS, IN --- “Turner the Burner” is in the record books in more ways than one. Yup, Northern Illinois University senior All-America tailback candidate Michael Turner (North Chicago) will literally appear---print-wise and pictoriall




May 19, 2003


NORTHERN ILLINOIS ALL-AMERICA TAILBACK MICHAEL TURNER ‘BURNS’ WAY INTO 2003 NCAA RECORD BOOK

INDIANAPOLIS, IN --- “Turner the Burner” is in the record books in more ways than one.

Yup, Northern Illinois University senior All-America tailback candidate Michael Turner (North Chicago) will literally appear---print-wise and pictorially---in the 2003 National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Records Book, according to NCAA Communications Coordinator Scott Deitch.

“As the nation’s leading returing major-college rusher, it certainly is a natural to put a picture of Michael Turner in our record book,” Deitch said. “He appears several places in the 2002 national statistical recap and, if I recall correctly, already had the single-game record for single-game carries by a freshman.”

Indeed, Turner’s name dominated the final 2002 national gridiron statistics. “The Burner” finished No. 2 in NCAA Division 1-A rushing (1,915 yards), No. 2 in 1-A all-purpose yardage (2,284), No. 2 in 1-A rushing attempts (338), No. 7 in 1-A touchdowns (20), and No. 8 in 1-A scoring (120 points) last fall. Those Mid-American Conference single-season record 1,915 yards also represented the 13th best such performance in NCAA 1-A football history.

During 2003, the six-foot, 223-pound Turner was the only 1-A rusher with (1) five 200-yard or better games and (2) two five-touchdown performances. In addition, the Huskie standout was the nation’s first major-college 1,000-yard rusher---by the seventh game---last autumn. In 1999, Turner set the NCAA single-game frosh rushing attempt record (52 versus Central Michigan).

No wonder then, why Deitch requested action photographs of “The Burner” for the NCAA publication. Among the publication’s 13 photo requests were Turner, Brad Banks (Iowa), Brock Forsey (Boise State), Carson Palmer (Southern California), Jim Leonhard (Wisconsin), and Larry Johnson (Penn State).

Turner, who made five post-season All-America teams in 2002, already has opted to play in the East-West Shrine Football Classic in San Francisco next January.

According to Deitch, the expanded 2003 NCAA Football Records Book will be available in early August. Hopefully, “Turner the Burner” may do some expansion of his own in the 2004 version.

(For further information, please contact Mike Korcek) -30-