South Side's Tyrelle Turner plays bigger than 5-foot-5 stature

Tyrelle Turner has heard all the talk about his size.

He’s too small to play. He’s too small to make an impact on the football field. He’s not strong enough to match up against opposing teams’ best wide receivers.

But for the 5-foot-5 cornerback, all the talk goes in one ear and out the other.

“I've heard that a lot, but I don't pay attention to it because size doesn't really matter as long as you give your best effort at anything,” Turner said.

What he lacks in height, he makes up for in instincts, effort and athleticism. The fluid hips allow him to turn up field with a receiver. His positioning ensures he’s never caught off guard when sticking his man. Turner lets his play on the field do the talking.

The sophomore’s traits were on display in South Side’s 27-14 win over Hardin County on Friday. Turner came down with four interceptions, including one returned for a score.

Turner started last season on the freshman team at South Side before being promoted to varsity at the end of the season. He originally was going to contribute only on special teams. However, coach Tyler Reeder decided to put Turner into the fray.

“He actually played corner the last two games as a true freshman and he played against Liberty and he played against Milan a little bit,” Reeder said.

Instantly, Reeder noticed something special in Turner. During a lost season in which the Hawks went 1-9, Turner’s ability and work ethic were something to build on heading into this season.

“He's going to come to work every day, whether it's practice or a game,” Reeder said. “He's going to give you the same exact thing. … One of those kids that when the game is on the line, you want out there because he's going to do what he's supposed to do.”

Before South Side’s game against Hardin County, Reeder told Turner he would be matched up against the Tigers’ biggest wide receiver, Landon McFall, who is almost a foot taller than Turner.

“I just had to tell myself don't think of him as anybody else,” Turner said. “Just think of it as another day of practice and continue to play him like anybody else. Nothing special. Size isn't really the issue. You just gotta give your effort.”

Turner’s athleticism shined on the night, especially on the first interception, which he turned into a pick-six.

“The quarterback threw it a little too high and the receiver tried to catch it but he tipped it, so I just came under him and caught it and ran it in,” he said. “I saw a lot of green grass, so I just started running as fast as I could.”

It was the beginning of a career night for Turner, and it also got him halfway to the number of interceptions he set out for himself this season.

The game also served as a proving point for Turner. It validated that his playing ability is much bigger than his height.

“He's just a ball player, man,” Reeder said.

Reach Luis Torres at ltorres1@jacksonsun.com and follow him on Twitter @LFTorresIII.