FAYETTEVILLE — Observing from afar, Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman in recent years picked up on a number of media outlets labeling Stanford as "Tight End U."
So when Dowell Loggains, the Razorbacks’ tight ends coach the previous two seasons, accepted the offensive coordinator position at South Carolina, Pittman had an idea of where he wanted to turn for a replacement. Former Stanford tight ends coach Morgan Turner landed the job last week.
Pittman, joined in the interview room inside Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Monday by Turner and new defensive coordinator Travis Williams, spoke glowingly about the position coach and his resume of sending players under his guidance to the NFL.
“I think they had that name out there,” Pittman said of Tight End U and Stanford. “I think they deserve that. But we went out and got their coach because we'd like it to be this way at the University of Arkansas.”
Detailing how the hiring process took place, Turner told reporters that his knowledge of the opening came in a unique way, and that Pittman tabbing him as the man for the job materialized quickly.
Turner was informed by an uncle who was born and raised in El Dorado in south Arkansas that the tight ends coach position was open. He contacted a couple of people and received Pittman’s contact information, then sent him a message.
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“I said, 'Hey, I’d be very interested in this job,’ gave him a little bit of my bio, my background at Stanford, and it kind of went from there,” Turner said. “I'm kind of figuring it out right now.”
Turner arrives at Arkansas with a sound understanding of the state and the pride that fans have in the Razorbacks football program.
He said he has traveled to the state every year of his life given that his mother was also born and raised in El Dorado. Turner proudly stated he frequented Lake Ouachita, which is roughly a three-hour drive from campus.
“I’ve seen a Razorback logo on an auto repair shop five hours away, so I’m like, ‘This is special. The whole state has the back of everybody here,’ which is really neat,” Turner said. “It’s pretty cool. It’s a great feeling for these guys to have.
“That’s something I’ve known my whole life. I’m like, ‘All right, this place cares. The whole state cares about these guys.’ It’s unique and it’s special here.”
As Turner wrapped up that thought, Pittman added, “And he recruited Arkansas. He recruited Hudson Henry.”
Turner noted he has visited some other area schools and spent time with former Pulaski Academy coach Kevin Kelley and current head coach Anthony Lucas, a former Razorbacks wide receiver. He hung out with Lucas as recently as the week before accepting the job at Arkansas, he added.
Turner said Arkansas’ bowl practices have been invaluable for him as he learns the offense. So far, he noted, those already in the room have helped him a great deal.
He views the tight ends group on campus as an intelligent one with a mix of both old and young faces.
“It’s like learning a new language. It’s like learning Spanish,” Turner said of transitioning from Stanford to Arkansas. “All the words mean the same things, you’ve just got to figure out what those words are. Like, a lot of the stuff we did last year schematically, it’s just different ways of getting to it.
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“Like, we were, at Stanford, a huddle team — everything on the wrist bands, everything was detailed. We had checks at the line of scrimmage and things like that. Here, a lot of stuff, you’re going tempo, you’re going fast with it, so I’m learning how things are called and what formation, what’s talking to us.
“It’s a different way of relaying that information, but a lot of the stuff is very similar. I’m trying to translate everything to what I know.”
Turner, who had served as the Cardinal tight end coach since 2013, is the son of long-time NFL and college coach Ron Turner. At one point in his life, he attempted to take a different career path.
But he learned the business world was not for him.
“I was like, ‘All right, this is what I know. I’ve seen my dad do this. He loves it. I want to try to go do it like him,’” Turner said. “It pulled me back in, even though my dad’s telling me, ‘Don’t do it. It’s a crazy life,’ and all that.
“Being influenced and wanting to do what he did really drew me in. … I couldn’t think of anything more meant to be.”