A Punter With Promise Who Vows to Hang in There

When people are asked how they will react during an especially trying time, an overused reply is, “punt.”

In other words, give up.

Bill Turner has offered a twist on the old punch line. He’s punting all right, but he certainly hasn’t quit.

The former Cal Lutheran College punter, cut last week following a free-agent tryout by the Los Angeles Raiders, said he will continue to seek employment in the National Football League.

“My agent is contacting teams this week,” Turner said. “I’m hoping to get a look before the season starts, but even if I don’t, I’ll stay in shape and give it another shot next year.”

Raider special-teams coach Steve Ortmayer, who cut Turner, said the punter has a future in the NFL.

“He has an honest-to-God chance of kicking for somebody in the NFL,” Ortmayer said. “Turner’s legitimate. He just lacked consistency. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the league this year.”

Ray Guy, a 13-year veteran who has made the Pro Bowl seven times, and Jeff Carter, a free agent from Long Beach State, remain on the Raiders’ roster.

Ortmayer said that the hang time on Turner’s punts ranged from 4.3 to 4.8 seconds, while Guy has consistently averaged about 4.8 over the years. “Anything over 4.5 is good,” Ortmayer said. “Guy is just exceptional.”

Cal Lutheran Coach Bob Shoup, who watched Turner kick twice in scrimmages against the Dallas Cowboys, said that the Raiders did not record the distances of punts.

“The Raiders don’t seem to work too hard on their kicking game,” Shoup said. “Dallas records all the kicks and times. Bill hit about 47 yards on one kick and about 60 on the other one I saw.

“When I talked to Bill, he said he knew this was a learning experience. The whole question was whether or not Guy was healthy, and he is.”

Said Turner: “I was pleased with my tryout. I knew going in that the chances of unseating Ray Guy were slim and none.”

Turner led the NAIA in punting last season with an average of 45.3 yards on 75 kicks. He is the only punter in college football history to punt for more than 10,000 yards in a career, according to Shoup.

“Bill was more than a punter to us,” Shoup said. “He was captain his senior year and set a great example by working hard at his craft.”

Turner, who was an National High School Football Coaches Assn. All-American at Westlake High in 1980, improved his average every year during his college career. After averaging 39 yards his freshman year, he averaged 41 and 43 yards the next two years.

Several NFL teams contacted Turner during his senior season, but interest dropped off following off-season surgery to the knee on his kicking leg. Although the surgery was merely to remove scar tissue, only the Raiders offered him a tryout.

Turner said that despite being cut, the tryout was a step forward in his career.

“I was down after the surgery,” Turner said. “Being with the Raiders was good for my confidence.

“I know I can punt in the pros. I’ve just have to convince a team that needs a punter to give me the chance.”