On Feb. 27, 2020, Michael Turk walked into the 2020 NFL Combine in Indianapolis looking to solidify his dream of becoming a professional football player.
The Arizona State sophomore punter was known for his powerful leg, averaging 46 yards per punt and notching 23 50 yard-plus boots during the 2019 season. Turk also wanted to show off his upper body strength to teams once he approached the bench press station.
He pumped 25 reps on 225-pound max, the most by any punter since in 2003. His total was more than 19 offensive linemen at the combine, including top prospects Tristan Wirfs and Mekhi Becton.
It didn’t do him any favors, however, as he went undrafted and decided to transfer to Oklahoma in 2021 to finish the final two years of his eligibility. Turk didn’t expect to play college football any longer, but it didn’t stop him from taking his disappointment in stride. The Texas native looked towards the bible verse Romans 8:28, which says, “All things work together for the good to those who love the lord,” to provide solace in his new opportunity.
“I’d be lying if I didn't say I wanted to get drafted or make a team, but God had different plans and I tried to just embrace it,” Turk said. “If you told me like two or three years ago that I’d be in Oklahoma … I wouldn't even understand how that'd be possible, so it's pretty cool to see how it all worked out and how many relationships and connections I've made here.”
Turk has thrived with the Sooners, averaging 51.2 yards on 35 total punts en route to an All-Big 12 First Team selection in 2021. Off the field, he’s made waves with his YouTube channel Hangtime – a name inspired by his high flying punts – where he posts vlogs and other videos for the “Hangang,” the nickname for his over 143,000 subscribers.
His success on the platform even inspired sophomore defensive lineman Ethan Downs to create his own channel called Downtime, a sign of the impact of the redshirt senior. First-year head coach Brent Venables has even honed in on the leadership Turk provides to Oklahoma’s locker room, noting he’s become the sole leader on special teams.
“Turk is the model … he's a pro in every way in regards to his mindset,” Venables said. “The work that he puts in every day, he's an over-deliverer when it comes to managing his time the right way and then bringing out the best in others. He leads the whole group of specialists, he's tough and he's demanding.
“As a place kicker, I really liked the battle that we had there. Again, through the course of the spring, putting the ball deep into the end zone or the place kicking battle, I'm excited to go into the fall.”
As fall camp starts, Turk will continue to lead the charge on special teams for the Sooners. He frequently invites all specialists to punt and kick in the stadium to get in extra work. He also said he plans to embrace a new role as a holder with the field goal unit.
Turk thinks it will help him stay in rhythm if he doesn’t see the field until the third or fourth quarter, but will also pay dividends as a potential NFL draft prospect.
“That's something that NFL scouts are concerned about,” Turk said. They want to know that the punters are good holders because as every time that kickers on the field, that's a direct scoring opportunity and people don't realize that the snapper one and then when to the holder have such an impact on whether that kick is made or not, regardless of how good the kicker is, so I definitely take pride in doing that … it does kind of help you stay in the groove as well.”
As he enters his final season of eligibility, Turk is looking to help the Sooners win in anyway possible, even if that means he’s not on the field that often. The ASU transfer thinks Oklahoma can go all the way this season and he wants to sacrifice anything for the Sooners’ success, while putting enough on tape for his dreams of becoming an NFL punter, like his uncle Matt Turk, who was a three-time Pro Bowler.
“It’s my goal is to go all the way with the team and see if we can win it all,” Turk said. “But from a personal perspective … I want to make sure I'm maximizing my opportunity to hit it at a NFL looking punt and not just drive it.”
