Turner Gill Joins the Pack (Hey Husker Fans?)

Ryan

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Living in Omaha, I caught this on the news last night, noticed they had a decent sized article on the packers website today:

Source

Turner Gill Named Director Of Player Development/Offensive Assistant

posted 02/10/2005

Turner Gill

The Green Bay Packers Thursday named Turner Gill director of player development/offensive assistant. Mike Sherman, Executive Vice President and Head Coach, announced the addition.

Gill, who replaces Edgar Bennett, will begin his new duties Monday. The Packers promoted Bennett to running backs coach Jan. 28.

"I believe Turner Gill has the class, character and talent to fulfill the demands of director of player development," Sherman said. "His 14 years as a coach at the University of Nebraska has prepared him well for this experience. He assumed multiple roles outside of coaching to help make Nebraska the first-class program it is. I believe he is a perfect fit for the Green Bay Packers.

"As well as being director of player development," Sherman added, "he will also assume some duties on the field, coaching much like Edgar Bennett did in his tenure in the position. I believe that experience with the players on the field only enhances his relationship with them, which is pivotal. I'm excited to be able to welcome Turner, his wife, Gayle, and his two daughters, Jordan and Margaux, into the Packers family."

Held in high regard by his players and colleagues, Gill spent the last 13 seasons at Nebraska, where he coached two first-team All-Americans, one of whom won the Heisman, and helped the Huskers to three national championships. The last remaining assistant with ties to long-time patriarch Tom Osborne, Gill resigned Dec. 3 in hopes of one day earning his own post as a head coach.

After an outstanding playing career as the school's quarterback, Gill coached that position from 1992-2003 under Osborne and Frank Solich, then coached receivers in 2004 under Bill Callahan. Solich promoted Gill to assistant head coach before the '03 campaign. During his tenure in Lincoln, he built a strong reputation as one of the nation's top recruiters.

He also tutored first-team All-American and Heisman runner-up Tommie Frazier, who led the Huskers to national titles in 1994 and '95, and Eric Crouch, who won the Heisman and earned first-team All-America honors in 2001. In between, Gill worked with Scott Frost, who guided the team to the 1997 national championship. Both Crouch and Frost later spent time with the Packers.

Gill, 42, worked two seasons as a graduate assistant, originally returning to Nebraska in 1990, then moving in 1991 to Southern Methodist, where he worked mainly with the receivers. Gill began coaching in 1989 as a volunteer assistant at North Texas.

A Heisman finalist himself when teammate Mike Rozier won the honor in 1983, Gill went 28-2 as Nebraska's starting quarterback from 1981-83, including a 20-0 conference mark. In 1983, when only a two-point conversion stood between the Huskers and a national title, Gill led an offense that averaged 546.7 yards and 52.0 points per game. He completed 231 of 428 career passes (54.0 percent) for 3,317 yards and 34 touchdowns. His football-playing career ended after two seasons (1984-85) with the CFL's Montreal Concordes, whom he led to consecutive playoff berths as their starting signal-caller.

Like Packers receiver Javon Walker, Gill played minor league baseball. He spent three years (1986-88) in the Cleveland and Detroit farm systems before launching his coaching career at North Texas.
 

NCPackerfan

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I remember Gill when he played for the Huskers back in their heyday. BTW - What has happened to that program? You could always count on Nebraska having a top 10 team back in the 70's and 80's.
 
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Ryan

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Yeah it's been all the talk out here. They had two bad seasons in a row and I shocked no one has shot anyone yet. The fans out here don't seem to realize you can't win everygame and there is such a thing as rebuilding. Going from the option/90% run offense to the West Cost offense isn't going to happen in a season. They need a pro team real bad in NE, then they wouldn't all have to live vicariously through a college football team, they could at least split it up a little :)
 

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