For Turner, game trumps awards

Steve Guiremand

Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2000 | 10:31 a.m.

If you look closely, you might find one receiving category that UNLV wide receiver Nate Turner didn't lead the Mountain West Conference in this past season.

Receptions?

No, the 6-2, 210-pound senior from Compton College had 66 to lead the MWC.

Receiving yards?

Nope, Turner finished with 947 yards to lead the conference in that stat as well.

Touchdown catches?

Turner's 10 TD grabs easily was the best among Mountain West wideouts.

How about post-season honors?

Now you're talking.

Despite leading the MWC in the three major receiving categories this past season, Turner did not make first nor second team on the Mountain West coaches' all-conference squads.

Air Force's Ryan Fleming (52 catches, 930 yards, five touchdowns) and Colorado State's Pete Rebstock (46 receptions, 768 yards, 6 TDs) were selected to the first team while Utah's Steve Smith (35 catches, 743 yards, 4 TDs) and San Diego State sophomore J.R. Tolver (62 catches) garnered second team honors.

Turner, who caught the game-winning touchdown with 18 seconds left to give UNLV a key 18-14 win over New Mexico, did make the inaugural media team's second unit. But to add insult to injury, he was one of the few key Rebel senior players to leave last week's team awards banquet without any hardware.

Getting slapped in the face by rival conference coaches is one thing. Getting overlooked by your own team ...?

"Hey, I can't complain," Turner said following a Las Vegas Bowl practice at Rebel Park this week. "(UNLV coach John) Robinson gave me an opportunity to be a featured part of his offense. And I'm very appreciative of that."

Still, didn't Turner feel at least a tad disappointed when the MWC coaches didn't see fit to put him even on the all-conference second team this year despite his clearly superior stats?

"I look at it like this," Turner said. "Steve Smith is sitting at home watching us playing in a bowl game. Ryan Fleming didn't get the opportunity I had as far as being featured in the offense. I had 66 catches, was just short of 1,000 yards in receiving and caught (10) touchdowns. I've been very fortunate that they decided to throw that many passes my way. A lot of other players who got those awards weren't as lucky as I was in that regard.

"Of course I would have liked to have gotten an award. But at least I get to play in one more game. Maybe I can be the MVP in the bowl game. That would be huge. But the main objective is to do whatever it takes to win the bowl game."

Robinson said he was surprised that Turner didn't make the coaches' all-conference squad.

"If you were playing a game, you'd want Nate Turner on your team," Robinson said. "I thought he did some great stuff for us.

"I think Nate is one of the most competitive players I've ever coached. He's a lot like Keyshawn Johnson in that he'll go and get the ball. He certainly was our go-to guy. He can do so many things in a crowd that I think he has real potential to play in the NFL."

And that would be the ultimate award for Turner.

"A lot of guys won't get that opportunity, but I think I will," Turner said. "Thursday night is going to be a test for me. They say big-time players step up big in big-time games. If I'm a big-time player, then I'll need to step up and make some big plays. I want to go out and show that I can do that. If I can and we win the game, that will be reward enough for me."