Family affair

Steve Guiremand

Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2001 | 11:12 a.m.

A look at UNLV freshman QB Scott Turner:

Height: 6-3

Weight: 200 pounds

Hometown: Vienna, Va.

Born: Aug. 7, 1982

Notable: Father is former head coach of the Washington Redskins and current offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers

UNLV freshman Scott Turner has a lot in common with his dad, former Washington Redskins head coach and current San Diego Chargers offensive coordinator Norv Turner.

Both played quarterback in high school and college.

And remarkably, both played for a coach named John Robinson.

Norv Turner was a backup to Dan Fouts at Oregon in 1970-71 when Robinson was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He later would become an assistant coach under Robinson at USC from 1976-82 and also with the Los Angeles Rams from 1985 to 1991.

While an assistant at USC, he met his future wife, Nancy, who also just happened to be Robinson's secretary.

Now Scott Turner is following in his father's footsteps and getting coached by Robinson at UNLV.

"It really is great," Norv Turner said Tuesday during a break from the Chargers' fall camp in La Jolla. "Scott wants to coach one day. To be around someone with the energy and enthusiasm and knowledge like Coach Robinson should really help him in that regard."

Norv Turner certainly speaks from experience.

"Hey, that's who I picked up a lot of my coaching from," he said. "I worked for the man for 14 years. I have a lot of respect for the way he does things."

Scott Turner is a 6-3, 200-pound walk-on who starred at Oakton High School in Vienna, Va., last year. He picked the Rebels over Illinois where his uncle, Ron Turner, is the head coach.

"I really like the school and the area," he said. "And I've known Coach Robinson for a long time. I believe I can learn a lot from playing for him. And it's also closer to San Diego where my parents live now."

Does Robinson feel old coaching the son of one of his old quarterbacks?

"Nah," he chuckles, "It makes me feel good.

"Scott is off to a good start. He's an accurate passer. He's very bright. He studies his stuff and knows what he's doing."

Robinson paused.

"It's amazing how much his mannerisms are just like his dad's," Robinson said. "He tilts his head the same way, stuff like that."

UNLV will be rated No. 25 in the publication's 2001 preseason issue which is dated Aug. 13 and hits the stands later this week. The ranking comes with a full-page team preview.

The Rebels have come a long way under Robinson. SI rated UNLV 89th his first year in 1999 and 58th last season.

UNLV has never been rated in the Top 25 in either the writers' or coaches' polls.

The parking lot inside the fenced area has recently been paved.

However, some of the other outside lots are still dirt.

"There are still some discussions going on with the county to maybe grass those areas so they can also be used for soccer fields," UNLV senior associate athletic director Jerry Koloskie said. "There are a lot of different scenarios being discussed about those areas."

Channel 8 will televise the Oct. 6 game at Nevada-Reno and the Nov. 10 game at New Mexico. Pending approval from ESPN, the station also hopes to show the Oct. 27 contest at Wyoming and broadcast the Nov. 17 season finale at Air Force on sister station Las Vegas One, Channel 39.

The Rebels' first three games -- Aug. 30 at Arkansas, Sept. 7 vs. Northwestern and Sept. 14 vs. Colorado State -- are already scheduled to be shown nationally by ESPN while their Sept. 29 (BYU) and Oct. 13 (San Diego State) home games will be shown regionally by ABC.