OSU’s Speer, Maryland’s Turner played together in younger years

By Cliff Kirkpatrick
Gazette-Times Reporter

SAN FRANCISCO - The Emerald Bowl matchup will bring together teams that have never met, but in an odd turn of events it also reunited two old friends.

Oregon State junior offensive guard Adam Speer is a childhood friend of Maryland sophomore quarterback Chris Turner.

They went to different distant locations from their West Hills, Calif., homes for college. Their families stayed in contact so they could keep up on what the other was doing, but they lost touch once Speer went to OSU.

“It’s weird he ended up in Maryland and we don’t usually get to play an (Atlantic Coast Conference) team, and now our paths crossed again,” Speer said. “It’s a great coincidence.“

As soon as the bowl game matchup was announced Dec. 2, they contacted each other, talking on the phone and e-mailing.

It was time to catch up.

“Chris Tuner was my high school quarterback my junior and senior years; and he threw for thousands of yards for us and was a good quarterback,” Speer said. “We were good buddies. My dad talks to his dad every week.”

The friendship of their fathers is as unlikely as the Beavers meeting the Terrapins. Bill Speer works in law enforcement and John Turner was the original drummer for the Heavy Metal band Ratt, before it made it big in the mid-1980s.

Turner’s father still sports long hair, while Speer’s father is at the end of his career but works with troubled youth and Pop Warner in their hometown.

“I’ve known Adam for a long time,” Turner said. “He’s a leader. I looked up to him and I wanted to be like him.”

Speer never went to any of the concerts and only heard of a few of Ratt’s hits, but it was football that drew them together at Chaminade Prep.

Turner was a three-year starter so he played two years with the older Speer. He completed 139 of 265 passes for 2,047 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior.

His best season was his junior year with Speer blocking for him at center. Turner threw for 3,400 yards and 30 touchdowns, including two 400-yard passing games.

“I blocked for him for two years and never let him get hit, so I owe him a little something,” Speer said. “The defense has to do it for me. I’d love go out there and lineup at defensive tackle, but I can’t. The defense is too good.”

Turner’s success brought some of the most offensive-minded coaches out to recruit him. He was on his way to Louisville when Maryland entered the picture late.

It took him some time to adjust to the East Coast, and even more time to get his teammates to accept him. However, he’s playing tour guide this week.

“They all think everybody out here is like me, laidback and shaggy haired doing their own thing,” Turner said of his teammates. “I had to let them know that Southern California is different from Northern California.”

Speer was the 11th best center prospect in the country, according to Rivals.com, during Turner’s big junior year. The Los Angeles Daily News called him the best lineman in the area because he didn’t allow a sack in more than 650 plays.

One of the first things Speer reminded Turner of was how easy he had it at Chaminade Prep with him blocking, and warned it won’t be the case Friday with his OSU defensive teammates chasing him down.

“I told him to not be afraid of our defense,” Speer said sarcastically. “They’ve sideline a couple quarterbacks already and they led the nation in sacks (and are third now). Other than that, it’s friendly. I’m sending the defense to go after him. It will be fun, and a good game.”

Turner looks forward to the challenge and hopes to show off how far he has come since they last saw each other. Turner began the season as the No. 3 quarterback, but moved up because of injuries.

He started seven games and competed 136 of 212 for 1,753 yards and five touchdowns. The end of the season has been a tryout for taking over the position in the future.

“His personality is a laidback guy,” Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen said. “He seems to stay very poised. The kids got fired up with him. He has an inner confidence he projects. He doesn’t get too high or too low. He’s a tough kid and made some plays. Some days he’s not as focused as others and they don’t work as well.”

Speer has settled in as starting guard this season, and has been one of the most consistent blockers the last three years.

He is expected to remain in that position next year, even though he could move to center.

For now it’s all about their first meeting on different teams. Even though Speer would rather be tackling Turner, just having his team win the bowl game will do.