Huntingdon’s Turk named to Troy University Hall of Fame

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Huntingdon head football coach Mike Turk was recently selected to the Troy University Athletic Hall of Fame.

Turk and 10 other current or former Trojans were announced as the inaugural class by Troy athletic director Steve Dennis on Tuesday.

Joining Turk in the first class are former Troy President Ralph Adams, former football coach Billy Atkins, current football coach Larry Blakeney, former quarterback Sim Byrd, current men's basketball coach Don Maestri, Vergil Parks McKinley (Troy's first football coach), former women's basketball player Denise Monroe, former track and field standout Charles Oliver, former baseball coach Chase Riddle and former Troy defensive end and current Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware.

"This is a great group to be recognized with in the first class. It's kind of hard for me to believe I'm included in such a group," Turk said. "When I look at my career, I feel like I was in the right place at the right time. I was surrounded by a lot of good teammates and coaches that influenced my life in a positive way. I feel very fortunate to have had those people in my life and I'm humbled by this recognition."

The inductees will be enshrined at a banquet on Aug. 10 in the new Trojan Arena.

As Troy's quarterback, Turk led the Trojans to a 40-8-1 record and two NCAA Division II national titles (1984 and 1987). He was named first-team All-Gulf South three times and was the Gulf South's Freshman of the Year in 1984.

Turk was first-team All-America in 1987 and was the runner-up for the Harlon Hill Trophy, which is awarded to the nation's top Division II performer. He was also named Division II Offensive Player of the Year by Football News and was the first person chosen by the Alabama Sports Writers Association as the Small College Athlete of the Year and Athlete of the Year in the same season.

Turk is the Trojans' third all-time leading rusher with 2,533 yards and holds the Troy record for rushing yards by a quarterback. His 32 career rushing touchdowns ranks second and is tops among Troy quarterbacks.

Turk's 6,707 yards of career total offense ranks fourth and his 62 touchdowns responsible for (passing and rushing) are second in school history. He also ranks sixth in career passing yards (4,174), sixth in pass attempts (490), seventh in completions (245) and seventh in passing touchdowns (30).

After his playing career, Turk joined the Trojans' coaching staff and served as an assistant for 13 seasons before becoming the head coach at Huntingdon in 2004. When he left Troy for Huntingdon, Turk had played or coached in 20 of the Trojans' 22 postseason games.

Turk was enshrined as a member of the ninth class of the NCAA Division II Football Hall of Fame in 2007.