Turner Gill

Position: Head Coach

Head Coach (North Texas, 1990)
2010-2011
5-19 at KU (Two Seasons)

After turning a one-win Buffalo program into a conference championship team in three short years, Gill, a former Nebraska standout player and assistant coach, returned to his Big 12 Conference roots to take over the Jayhawk program on Dec. 13, 2009.

At Kansas he took over a team, which had lost its last seven games of the 2010 season. After a season-opening loss, Gill guided the Jayhawks to a 28-25 upset victory against then-No. 15 Georgia Tech. KU would win three games in his first year, including a thrilling 52-45 victory against Colorado in a game, which KU trailed 45-13 in the fourth quarter.

Gill's second season at Kansas started with great promise as the Jayhawks won the first two games, but a 10-game skid to close out the year, including an 0-9 mark in Big 12 Conference play, ultimately led to the end of his tenure as the Jayhawks head coach.

"I would like to thank the University of Kansas for the opportunity to be its head football coach," Gill said."On behalf of our staff, I want to thank the players for putting their heart and soul into this football program the past two years. I hope nothing but the best for all their future endeavors, both on and off the field."

Gill was a highly successful quarterback at Nebraska and then spent most of his coaching career with the Huskers helping the program to 13 bowl games in his 13 seasons (1992-2004) on the coaching staff.

After a year in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers (2005), Gill became a head coach, taking over a Buffalo program which had produced more than two wins in just one of the previous seven seasons.

Gill posted a modest 2-10 record in his inaugural season in 2006. In 2007 Gill's team produced a 5-7 mark, the most victories for Buffalo since an 8-3 ledger in 1996 while competing at the I-AA level.

Gill earned Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2007 as the Bulls posted a 5-3 conference mark, including a 4-2 record in the league's East Division to claim a share of the regular season title in his second year. UB also posted its first winning record at home (3-2) since moving up from Division I-AA.

In 2007 Buffalo landed eight players on the all-conference team. The number of honorees that season surpassed UB's combined seven selections in the school's first eight years of conference play.

During the season the Bulls had eight MAC Player of the Week winners and two players landed on national semifinal watch lists, including punter Ben Woods and defensive end Trevor Scott. Center Jamey Richard was invited to play in the Hula Bowl and to participate in the NFL Combine.

In his third season in 2008, Gill guided the Bulls to their first MAC Championship and the school's first postseason bowl game. Buffalo went 8-6, defeating Ball State 42-24 in the MAC Championship game before falling 38-20 to Connecticut in the International Bowl.

The 2008 campaign was filled with record-breaking accomplishments. With Gill calling the plays, Buffalo produced a school-record 424 points, while his quarterback, running back and wide receiver all set school season yardage records.

Gill earned MAC Coach of the Year accolades by The Sporting News and was named a finalist for the Bear Bryant National Coach of the Year Award.

In 2009 Buffalo posted a 5-7 record, which included five losses to bowl teams. Three of those losses to bowl teams were by one score or less, while five of the losses on the season were by seven points or less.

The Bulls produced a balanced offense ranking 38th nationally in passing and 46th in rushing. Their 405 total yards per game ranked 39th in the country. UB's defense ranked in the top half of the NCAA at 42nd in total defense and 50th in scoring defense.

In his four-year tenure at Buffalo, Gill had 17 players earn All-MAC honors.

Gill began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at North Texas in 1989. In 1990 he returned to Nebraska as a graduate assistant. Gill then moved to SMU in 1991 as a graduate assistant before being promoted to a full-time position.

He then returned to his alma mater coaching the Nebraska quarterbacks from 1992-2002. He was named assistant head coach in 2003 and coached the Husker wide receivers in 2004.

During his time at Nebraska Gill helped develop 1995 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner Tommie Frazier, 2001 Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch and Scott Frost, who led NU to a national title in 1997.

Under his guidance, Husker quarterbacks Crouch, Frazier and Jamaal Lord finished their careers ranked first through third on the school's career total offense chart.

Nebraska won three national championships - 1994, 1995 and 1997 - during Gill's tenure. In 2002 Gill was a finalist for the Frank Broyles Award, given annually to the nation's top assistant coach.

Gill moved to the NFL for one season, working with the Green Bay Packers as the director of player development and as an offensive assistant in 2005. Gill was then named as head coach at Buffalo in 2006.

As a quarterback at Nebraska from 1980-83 Gill was a three-time All-Big Eight Conference honoree, a second-team All-American and a Heisman Trophy finalist. He finished his career with a 28-2 record as a starter, including a 20-0 mark in conference play, while leading the Huskers to three straight Orange Bowls.

He was named the quarterback of the Big Eight Conference All-Decade Team (1980-89). He was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame and the Orange Bowl Hall of Fame.

Gill became the team's starter five games into his sophomore season and led NU to six straight wins before missing the final two games with an injury that year. As a junior he passed for 1,182 yards and rushed for 487 more in a season capped by an Orange Bowl victory. As a senior in 1983 he led the Huskers to an average of 546.7 yards and 52.0 points per game.

Gill also played baseball for one season at Nebraska and earned All-Big Eight honors as a shortstop. After his collegiate career he played two seasons (1984-85) in the Canadian Football League with Montreal and three years (1986-88) as a baseball player in the minor league systems of Cleveland and Detroit.

Gill finished his bachelor's degree in behavior analysis while at North Texas in 1990. He was an all-state quarterback at Forth Worth (Texas) Arlington Heights High School before going to Nebraska.

Gill is on the American Football Coaches Association Foundation Board of Trustees.

He and his wife Gayle have two daughters - Jordan and Margaux.