ROH 064-Turner-Claiborne
Herschel Turner
In 1963, Herschel Turner was named a first-team All-American as an offensive tackle and defensive tackle. He was also named first-team All-Southeastern Conference as a senior and participated in the Blue-Gray Game and the Senior Bowl. Turner logged the most minutes played on UK’s 1962 squad known as the “Thin Thirty.” After being drafted in the second round of the 1964 NFL Draft by St. Louis, Turner played two seasons (1964-65) with the Cardinals as a guard and tackle.
Jerry Claiborne
Jerry Claiborne lettered three years at Kentucky under Paul “Bear” Bryant as a blocking back, end and defensive back. He set a UK single-season record for interceptions with nine thefts for 130 yards during the 1949 campaign. As an assistant coach, Claiborne spent 10 years at the collegiate ranks of Kentucky (1952-53), Texas A&M (1954-56), Missouri (1957), Alabama (1958-60), and Colorado (1971) before becoming a head coach. He ended his career as a head coach ranked 21st among all NCAA coaches with 179 victories and compiled an overall record of 179-122-8 in 28 seasons as a collegiate head coach. Claiborne’s career included stops at Virginia Tech (61-39-2), Maryland (77-37-3) and Kentucky (41-46-3). He was named Coach of the Year in three different conferences – Southern (1963), Atlantic Coast (1973, 1975, 1976) and Southeastern (1983) – in addition to being named National Coach of the Year by The Sporting News in 1974. Claiborne led the Wildcats to a pair of bowl berths with the 1983 and 1984 Hall of Fame Bowls. In 1989, he guided UK to the College Football Association Academic Achievement Award for highest graduation rate and set an SEC record by placing 17 Wildcats on the SEC Academic Honor Roll. The former head coach received the Neyland Award in 1994 and was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999.
