War Eagles turn team to Turner

Starting over is the theme of Little Rock Fair's once-proud football program.

The Donald Harris coaching era, often tumultuous, officially ended last year with his signed resignation, said Little Rock School District Athletic Director John Daniels.

Enter Roosevelt Turner, 49, a Marianna native and former standout safety at Central Arkansas who spent the last five seasons as coach at Class 2A Augusta.

After passing on the vacant Little Rock Hall coaching job last summer when his wife became seriously ill with a parasitic disease, Turner has landed at another LRSD program whose struggles have been well-chronicled.

The goal this fall, he said, is modest.

"Just be able to compete," said Turner, whose wife, Angela, is now recovered physically. "Just focus on competing every game."

Fair, which is moving from Class 6A to 5A for the 2014-2016 cycle, hasn't been competitive in almost a decade.

Harris began coaching the War Eagles in 2003 and led them to their last postseason victory, a 28-0 upset of Monticello in the first round of the Class AAAA playoffs in 2004.

But the final years of Harris' tenure were dominated by frequent clashes with school administration, leaves of absence and lopsided losses.

The War Eagles are 7-76 since 2006, including 4-52 in conference games, and have been outscored 2,962-884.

They have lost 21 consecutive conference games and 25 consecutive on the field (Benton forfeited a 61-13 6A-South victory in 2010 because of ineligible players).

Conversely, Fair was a big winner in the mid-1980s under Coach Glenn Eskola, who retired after leading the War Eagles to a 14-0 record, a Class AAAAA state championship and No. 23 ranking nationally by USA Today in 1998.

"My goal is to get Fair back to its prime," Turner said. "I'm working to get Fair back up to where they're a contender in 5A."

Turner said he officially began work in July and has been "beating the halls" for players.

There are only 55 (grades 9-12) in the program, Turner said, and approximately "75 percent" of the roster will be new this fall. Freshmen will play, he said.

"It's about what I expected," Turner said. "We're young and teaching fundamentals. The whole season, we're going almost treat them as if they're seventh-graders. A lot of teaching and basic fundamentals."

Turner said Fair "will focus on running the ball" from several sets offensively, including the Pro-I and Wishbone, and use a 4-3/50 defensive alignment.

Turner said he doesn't want to talk publicly about any of his players and instead wants to promote his coaching staff.

Turner has hired three new assistants, including defensive coordinator Andy McCready, who previously held the same position at Watson Chapel; and Walter Camper, interim coach at Little Rock McClellan in 2012.

"I like the work ethic that my coaches have," said Turner, a longtime assistant under Little Rock Coach Ellis "Scooter" Register at El Dorado. "We have good camaraderie, we communicate, everybody has some say so and everybody has some ownership. That's where it's got to start."

Sports on 08/29/2014