Nate Turner Season 1991

Honors & Awards
Sixth-Round NFL Draft Pick (Buffalo Bills, 1992)
Four NFL Seasons (Buffalo, 1992-94; Carolina, 1995)
Japan Bowl Postseason All-Star Game

1991 (Senior)
Nate Turner was NU’s No. 1 wingback in all 11 games and tied for third on the team with 12 receptions for 121 yards. The 6-2, 230-pounder produced a season-best four catches for 35 yards at Kansas, and four more receptions for 30 yards at Oklahoma State. He added five carries for 24 rushing yards on the year, while also returning four kickoffs for 96 yards (24.0 ypr), including a 42-yarder. He started nine regular-season games for the Big Eight champion Huskers while also earning a start against Miami in the 1992 Federal Express Orange Bowl. He had one kickoff return for nine yards against the Hurricanes, while also registering an unassisted tackle. Turner helped Nebraska capture its third NCAA rushing title in four years by averaging 353.2 yards per game in 1991. The Big Red also ranked third nationally in both scoring (41.3 ppg) and total offense (506.5 ypg).

A valuable four-year player for the Huskers, Turner closed his career with 1,060 all-purpose yards, including 535 receiving yards on 39 receptions. He was also one of the best perimeter blockers Nebraska has ever featured at wingback. Turner added 218 career rushing yards on 39 carries (8.1 ypc), while returning 10 kickoffs for 219 yards (21.9 ypr). He also returned seven punts for 88 yards (12.6 ypr) in his career. A four-year letterman, Turner played 39 regular-season games with 17 starts but never scored a touchdown as a Husker.

After playing in the Japan Bowl all-star game in Tokyo following his senior season, Turner was selected in the sixth round of the 1992 NFL Draft as a tight end by the Buffalo Bills (167th overall pick). He spent four seasons in the NFL with the Bills from 1992 through 1995. He was a member of the Bills’ Super Bowl team during the 1993 season, but he did not play in the game. He appeared in 28 career NFL games. Turner did not see action in 1992, but appeared in 13 games in 1993 when he had 11 carries for 36 yards to help the Bills to the Super Bowl. He played 13 more games in 1994, hauling in his only NFL touchdown on a 26-yard reception. He played his final two NFL games with the Carolina Panthers in 1995.

1990 (Junior)
Turner missed Nebraska’s first three games with a broken collarbone but returned to play eight games with six starts for the Huskers. He had nine receptions for 91 yards, while adding eight carries for 74 yards, including a season-high 51 yards on four totes against Iowa State. He returned four punts for 73 yards (18.3 ypr), but just one kickoff for 20 yards. He finished the year with 258 all-purpose yards on 22 attempts. In the 1991 Florida Citrus Bowl against Georgia Tech, Turner amassed 136 all-purpose yards, including three receptions for 24, two carries for 21 yards, four kickoff returns for 94 yards and one punt return for minus-three yards. Turner helped Nebraska lead the nation in kickoff return average (27.6 ypr), while ranking second in rushing offense (340.0 ypg) and sixth in scoring (37.5 ppg).

1989 (Sophomore)
Turner moved to wingback and put up impressive numbers in his second season for the Big Red, pulling down 10 receptions for a career-high 173 yards (17.3 ypc), while adding eight carries for a career-high 119 yards (9.2 ypc). He also contributed four kickoff returns for 78 yards (19.5 ypr) to finish his sophomore season with a career-high 325 all-purpose yards over eight regular-season games. He missed three games (Kansas State, Missouri, Oklahoma) with a pulled leg muscle in midseason. Turner shared time with Richard Bell and Tyrone Hughes at wingback. Turner produced the best receiving game of his career with five receptions for 89 yards in a win over Minnesota. He earned starts against Oregon State and Colorado). Turner missed the 1990 Sunkist Fiesta Bowl against Florida State with a pulled quadricep. Nebraska won the NCAA rushing title by averaging 375.3 yards per game, while ranking second nationally in scoring (44.7 ppg) and third in total offense (513.3 ypg).

1988 (Redshirt Freshman)
Turner played all 12 regular-season games for the Huskers as a freshman split end behind Morgan Gregory, recording eight receptions for 150 yards (18.8 ypc) including a career-long 59-yard catch on 3rd-and-14 against Missouri to set up Nebraska’s go-ahead field goal on its way to a 26-18 win. He added a 25-yard kickoff return and one carry for one yard while providing excellent blocking on the perimeter to help Nebraska to a Big Eight championship. Turner played a major role in Nebraska winning the NCAA rushing title (382.3 ypg), while ranking sixth in scoring (39.5 ppg) and seventh in total offense (477.9 ypg). In the 1989 Orange Bowl, Turner added one reception for six yards.

1987 (Redshirt)
Turner redshirted in his first season as a Husker.

Chicago Mount Carmel High School
A Bally and Parade High School All-American for Coach Frank Lenti at Chicago Mount Carmel, Turner put together an outstanding senior season in 1986. He caught 35 passes for 544 yards and seven touchdowns, while rushing 38 times for 291 yards and three more scores. He added 13 punt returns for 191 yards, including a 76-yard TD, while returning 10 kickoffs for 325 yards with a 96-yard touchdown. He earned the Tony Lawless Award as the MVP of the Chicago Catholic League.

Personal
The son of Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Turner, Nate was born in Chicago. He was a criminal justice major at Nebraska.