Nolan Turner’s six-year career at Clemson, spanning 2016-21, was a process during which he incrementally improved on a yearly basis and ultimately blossomed into an All-American and two-year team captain.
But the point in time when the standout safety felt like he belonged at a place like Clemson, playing against the best of the best, came on Dec. 29, 2018, in the Lone Star State.
That’s when and where Turner recorded his first career interception in the Cotton Bowl vs. No. 3 Notre Dame, helping the Tigers to a 30-3 win over the Irish in the College Football Playoff semifinal matchup at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Turner went on to tally four tackles in Clemson’s 44-16 victory over Alabama, his father’s alma mater, in the National Championship Game on Jan 7, 2019. But looking back on it, that initial pick he secured against Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl represents the moment when Turner realized he belonged playing big-time college football.
“It’s interesting, because my journey, it was like I kind of got like a little bit better every year, kind of got a little more of a taste of it every year,” Turner said recently on The Players Club Podcast, hosted by former Clemson running back Darien Rencher. “2016, redshirt year. 2017, I played a lot of special teams, didn’t play any on defense. 2018, I started playing on defense a little bit kind of gradually throughout the season.
“But I think that moment when I felt like I belonged was, I’ll take it back to the 2018 Cotton Bowl, when we were playing out in Dallas. I think that interception I got out there was kind of my first big play on a big stage, and that was a super cool feeling – a nationally televised game, making a big play in a big game. It was a lot of fun, obviously, and a big win for us, and that was kind of that moment I was like, OK, I belong playing on this level with this kind of talent. That’s kind of when it hit me, probably 2018.”
Turner finished his career as a Tiger credited with 259 tackles (13.5 for loss), 20 passes broken up, seven interceptions returned 78 yards, 3.0 sacks and two forced fumbles in 2,145 snaps over 65 career games (25 starts). His 65 career games ranked fourth in Clemson history as of the conclusion of the 2021 season, trailing only three of his six-year “super senior” teammates.
You can watch Turner’s full interview with Rencher on The Players Club Podcast below:
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