The Florida Gators have secured their 11th commitment from the transfer portal with a pledge from Washington safety Asa Turner. Florida has once again benefited from the retirement of Nick Saban as Turner entered the portal when Washington coach Kalen DeBoer was hired at Alabama to replace Saban. FULL EPISODE ON TURNER’S COMMITMENT AT END OF ARTICLE.
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Turner, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound defender from Carlsbad, California, signed with Washington in 2019. He played in 12 of their 13 games that season with five starts as a true freshman. He also played in all four of Washington’s games in the 2020 COVID season and then participated in 10 games in each of the following two seasons.
In his first four years, Turner recorded six interceptions and averaged 3.4 tackles per game, breaking up eight passes. He was projected as a starter for the 2023 season and was named a Preseason All-Pac-12 Third Team member by PFF. However, a hand injury limited his participation to only four regular season games, requiring him to play with a cast and a club. Despite this, he played in seven games, starting six, in 2023. His limited participation in just four regular season games preserved one year of his eligibility.
He started the first two games with a club on his hand, but was injured against Tulsa in the first series and missed three games. He returned for the first Oregon game as a reserve safety and played a significant role, accumulating seven tackles in UW’s 36-33 victory at Husky Stadium in mid-October.
The following week, he started against Arizona State, made five tackles in the 15-7 win, but was injured again and missed another five games. He later revealed on social media that he had undergone surgery.
Despite his injuries, Turner played in all three of Washington’s postseason games, including the PAC 12 title game and the two CFP games. He underwent three wrist or hand surgeries on both sides over the past six months.
As the Gators seek to add experience to their safety line-up, a major advantage with Turner is his ability to handle the Huskies’ defensive shifts and audibles.
In total, Turner spent five seasons with the Huskies, made 43 appearances and recorded 96 solo tackles, 148 in total. His best season was in 2022 when he achieved a career-high of 52 tackles, two interceptions and three passes defended.
Turner’s choice to become a part of the University of Florida was largely swayed by the recruitment efforts of UF’s Defensive Back Coach, Will Harris. This relationship traces back to 2019 when Harris was a coach at Washington and first identified Turner’s potential. Harris remained at Washington alongside Turner until the conclusion of the 2021 season, fostering a strong bond and professional rapport. This connection undoubtedly played a significant role in Turner’s decision to transfer to UF.
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