CFB National Signing Day: Why Bay Area’s top running back chose Utah State over SEC, Big 12, Air Force and Army

CFB National Signing Day: Why Bay Area’s top running back chose Utah State over SEC, Big 12, Air Force and Army

CONCORD  – Three hats, representing Yale, Air Force and Utah State, rested in front of Mt. Diablo senior Herschel Turner as he sat at a table on the stage at  Mt. Diablo High School. 

The 5-foot-10 record-breaker paused for dramatic effect, mulling over his options, before grabbing the gray Utah State cap as cheers erupted from family, friends, coaches and classmates.

And then, for one final flourish, the young man who rushed for a NCS regular season-record 2,957 yards as a senior pulled off his coat to reveal that he was wearing an Aggies sweatshirt all along.

Why pick Utah State, a ho-hum Mountain West Conference team that went 6-7 in 2023, over offers from Air Force, Ivy League power Yale, the SEC’s Missouri and a host of other programs?

“I could’ve chosen the best football school, but this was the best place for me personally,” Turner told the Bay Area News Group on Wednesday. “They have the major I want, the type of coaches I’m looking for, team atmosphere and type of school I was looking for. They checked all the boxes.”

Turner, who wants to be a detective after his football career is over, said he plans on studying forensic science at Utah State. 

Mt. Diablo principal Dr. Markell McCain believed Turner was Mt. Diablo’s first football player to commit to a Division I program since Jerry Reese signed with San Jose State in 1991.

Turner, who played at Freedom for three years before transferring to Mt. Diablo as a senior, was historically-productive as he carried the Red Devils to the section playoffs. 

He was named offensive MVP for the Diablo Athletic League Valley Division. Turner finished the year with 3,027 rushing yards and 42 TDs on the ground. He ran for six touchdowns in a game twice during his senior year. 

“On my first day, my mom asked me if I liked it, and I said ‘No, I want to go back (to Freedom),’” Turner said. “I’m glad I stuck it out here. I met a lot of new people and had a great senior year. The perfect senior year.”

The senior from Brentwood also had offers from  Army, North Texas, Portland State, UNLV, Utah, Washington State and Wayne St. 

He joins a 30-player Utah State recruiting class. 

National signing day:

Sefo Akuila, Fremont-Oakland, LB, BYU

Drew Cunningham, De La Salle, LB, Stanford

Jaden Green, Serra, RB, Lehigh

Jalen Harris, Berkeley, WR, UC-Davis

Kai Moananu-Apela, De La Salle, DL, Minot State

Parker Threatt, Bellarmine, ATH, San Diego State

Naki Tuakoi, Fremont-Oakland, LB, BYU

Early signing period:

Marley Alapati, Serra, LB, Army

Luke Baker, San Ramon Valley, QB, Sacramento State

Joseph Bey, Serra, S, San Jose State

Brooks Davis, Heritage, WR, Montana

Kai Hamilton, Valley Christian, WR, Sacramento State

Cole Harrison, Serra, TE, Tennessee

John Holthaus, Serra, OL, Colorado State

Wyatt Hook, Homestead, TE, Michigan State

Kamani Jackson, El Cerrito, CB, Washington State

Tyrone Jackson, Archbishop Riordan, WR, Boise State

Berlin Lillard, Bishop O’Dowd, OL, Colorado State

Kyon Loud, Serra, WR, Montana

Jabari Mann, Serra, LB, San Jose State

Tevita Manukainiu, Aragon, OL, San Jose State

Alek Marshall, Menlo-Atherton, TE, Cal Poly

Rayne Mayo, Valley Christian, OL, UC Davis

Danny Niu, Serra, LB, San Diego State

Michael Pedrotti, Serra, LS, Serra

Ahmad Robinson, McClymonds, OL, Eastern Washington

Trevor Rogers, Acalanes, WR, Cal

Manuel Serna, Clayton Valley Charter, OL, San Jose State

Maealiuaki Smith, Serra, QB, Oklahoma State

Related Articles

High School Sports |


High school boys soccer rankings Feb. 7, 2024: Bay Area News Group Top 15

High School Sports |


High school girls soccer rankings Feb. 7, 2024: Bay Area News Group Top 15

High School Sports |


Prep roundup: Ygnacio Valley roars into DAL semifinals. Dublin, Monte Vista advance in EBAL tournament. Milpitas edges Los Gatos.

High School Sports |


Liberty escapes Pittsburg comeback bid, wins third consecutive BVAL title

High School Sports |


Statement made: Archbishop Riordan buries Mitty under first-quarter avalanche

Kalolo Ta’aga, Archbishop Riordan, OL, USC

Jaylen Thomas, Los Gatos, ATH, San Jose State

Xavier Thorpe, Livermore, OL, Washington State

Ikinasio Tupou, Palo Alto, OL, BYU