Oregon Roots Linked John Robinson and Norv Turner at USC

The two coaches first crossed paths at Oregon before Robinson brought Turner onto his USC staff in 1976.

John Robinson and Norv Turner both went to school at the University of Oregon, and their careers stayed connected for years afterward. Robinson was part of the 1957 Oregon team that earned a spot in the 1958 Rose Bowl against Ohio State. Turner arrived in Eugene in 1971, Robinson's final season as a Ducks assistant, a role he had held for a little more than ten years.

At Oregon, Turner was the third-string quarterback behind starter Dan Fouts. He later spent one year as a graduate assistant with the program. In 1976, when Robinson became USC's head coach, he brought Turner on as a young wide receivers coach in Los Angeles.

The partnership lasted through 13 of the following 15 seasons. Turner spent all 15 of those years in the Los Angeles area, working at either USC or with the NFL's Rams, and a 1988 photo shows the two together with the Rams organization.

Turner recalled that George Seifert, Oregon's secondary coach, had recruited him, while Robinson ran the offense as coordinator. After the 1971 season the staff was let go, and Robinson moved on to USC as an assistant under John McKay, then spent a year with the Raiders before taking the head job. Turner remembered Robinson's message to players that they would compete starters against starters in practice every day as the way to improve.

The relationship continued into the NFL, where Turner followed Robinson to the Rams. Turner went on to serve as Jimmy Johnson's offensive coordinator on a Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl winner and built a long coaching career in the league.