Senior cornerback and return specialist Craig Turner is in second place on SIU’s all-time kick return yards with 1,508 yards after recording 99 yards in the Salukis’ quarterfinal playoff win against Massachusetts Saturday.

Turner averages 11.1 yards per punt return, 27.1 yards per kick return this season, was a preseason Buchanan Award candidate, given to the best defensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision.

Starting all 13 games this season, Turner has recorded 61 tackles, four pass deflections, two fumble recoveries, two blocked kicks and one interception return for 45 yards.

The DAILY EGYPTIAN sat down with Turner to discuss his best accomplishment at SIU, which players talk more trash on the field and his biggest pet peeve.

DAILY EGYPTIAN: You used to be a running back. Do you enjoy carrying the football more or defending it?

CRAIG TURNER: Carrying it.

DE: What’s the greatest accomplishment you’ve made in your career at SIU?

CT: Helping my team reach the playoffs my freshman year.

DE: Do you ever get nervous before kickoff?

CT: All the time.

DE: Who talks more trash on the field: the corners or receivers?

CT: Corners.

DE: Who is the best player you have ever covered?

CT: I’d say Alan Turner even though he’s on my team. He’s a guy with tremendous speed. You never know what he’s going to do and he’s hard to read and just a tremendous man.

DE: I’m going to list a few of your teammates and give me the best words that describe them: (Junior safety) Clayton Johnson.

CT: Hard-headed.

DE: (Junior defensive end) James Cloud.

CT: Off-the-wall.

DE: (Senior linebacker) Trevor Moe.

CT: Hands.

DE: (Senior wide receiver) John Randle.

CT: Smooth.

DE: (Former teammate and current New York Giants running back) Brandon Jacobs.

CT: The beast.

DE: In last week’s 15 minutes, when asked to describe you in one word, teammate John Randle said you were “fast.” Do you think you’re the fastest guy on the team?

CT: Hands down.

DE: What’s your favorite sports movie?

CT: Love and Basketball.

DE: Which sport is your least favorite?

CT: Hockey.

DE: What’s the one thing you miss most about home when you’re here?

CT: The food.

DE: What would be your dream job?

CT: To have my own spa on a beach somewhere.

DE: What is your biggest pet peeve?

CT: Leaving hair in the sink.

DE: What’s one of the craziest things you’ve ever seen in Carbondale?

CT: Halloween. A guy dressed as Moby Dick, another guy dressed as a ninja turtle and a woman was dressed up as a Playboy bunny and she didn’t have any clothes on. That’s the craziest, off-the-wall thing I’ve seen.

DE: If you could switch places with any person in the world for one day who would you choose and why?

CT: I would say my little cousin William. He always looks up to me and he always tells me that if he had the opportunity to do something he would do it a whole lot better than me so I’d give him a chance to see what he’d really do.

Megan Kramper can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 282 or [email protected].