Dernard Turner

Position:
Defensive Back
Height:
6-0
Weight:
191
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Miami, Fla.
High School:
Booker T. Washington

2015: Played in and started all 14 games at safety for the Falcons … made 80 tackles to go along with 5.5 tackles for loss … finished second on the team with four interceptions … had two quarterback hurries and four pass breakups … had an 85-yard interception return for a touchdown against Ohio – the third-longest interception return in school history … had four tackles and a tackle for loss in the season opener against Tennessee (Sept. 5) … totaled four tackles and two interceptions in a road victory at Maryland (Sept. 12) in week two … had five tackles against Memphis (Sept. 19) … had four tackles in a win at Purdue (Sept. 26) the following week … totaled seven tackles in the MAC opener at Buffalo (Oct. 3) … had five takedowns and a pass breakup in a win over UMass (Oct. 10) … totaled five tackles and two pass breakups the following week in a win over Akron (Oct. 17) … had six tackles to go along with his 85-yard interception return in the win over Ohio (Nov. 4) … had seven tackles in a MAC East-clinching win at Western Michigan (Nov. 11) … had nine tackles and 1.5 TFL in a loss to Toledo (Nov. 17) … had eight tackles and an interception in the regular season finale at Ball State (Nov. 24) … totaled six tackles and two quarterback hurries in the MAC Championship Game win over Northern Illinois (Dec. 5) … finished the season with eight takedowns in a loss to Georgia Southern in the GoDaddy Bowl.

2014: Played in all 14 games for the Falcons as a defensive back … made 48 tackles (24 solo) … had 2.5 tackles for loss … registered one forced fumble and one quarterback hurry … twice had a career-high nine tackles during the year … first on Sept. 27 at UMass when he had nine tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and a forced fumble … had nine tackles the very next week versus Buffalo (Oct. 4) in a win.

Attended Bowling Green in 2011 before spending time at College of DuPage prior to returning to the Falcons in 2014.

High School: Is a 2011 graduate of Booker T. Washington High School ... coached by Earl Tillman ... team captain ... two-year starter ... earned second-team All-Dade County ... participated in the North/South Dade County All-Star game ... had three interceptions for touchdowns as a senior.

Personal: Full name -- Dernard Turner ... son of Hiram Turner and Natalie Donley ... born Sept. 27, 1992 ... has two brothers and one sister ... is majoring in liberal studies.