The first domino has fallen on the 2016-2017 coaching carousel as word broke today that Ron Turner has been let go after four seasons leading the Florida International program.
The Sun Sentinel and USA Today were among the first to break the news, and we can confirm.
Per his contract, Turner will be paid out just over a year's worth of salary as liquidated damages due to his firing. Turner's salary was $500,000 before performance and retention bonuses. USA Today reports that Turner was credited with $604,000 of compensation last year.
In four seasons leading the program, turner was 10-30, with his best finish coming last season at 5-7. This year, with games against Indiana, Maryland, UMass, and UCF, Turner's squad got off to an 0-4 start.
Before becoming the head coach at FIU, Turner was the quarterbacks coach for the Tampa Bay Bucs, and spent two seasons previous to that coaching the quarterbacks and wide receivers with the Indianapolis Colts.
Past head coaching stints for Turner included Illinois (1997-2004) and San Jose State (1992). With the Illini, Turner went 35-57, including a 20-44 mark in Big Ten play. His best season in Champaign came in 2001 when the Illini went 10-2 and lost in the Sugar Bowl. He was let go in 2004 after a 3-8 finish.
Turner's coaching journey has bounced him around from the NFL to college football on the West coast (Stanford, Arizona, USC) to the Midwest (Chicago Bears, Northwestern, Illinois, Pitt), to his latest stops in Florida (Tampa Bay Bucs, FIU).
Stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.