For Tuttle High School linebacker Turner Leming, this summer has been about building on a standard already set and making sure the Tigers are ready to chase another deep postseason run. With the program coming off a memorable season, Leming said the work being done in the heat is matching the expectations that came with it. “Summer workouts are going good team chemistry is high and well. I think we have a real good chance to go all the way again. Defensively we will be just as dominant if not more dominant than last year’s team.”
A key piece of that defensive identity, Leming will again line up at linebacker, where his focus has been on sharpening the finer details of his game. “I’ll be playing linebacker, and I want to improve on my game speed, play recognition, and block destruction techniques.” He said the Tigers’ overall look this fall should resemble what fans have come to expect from Tuttle football. “We’re fast, strong, smart, and have a want for winning so I think we can be just as good as last year’s team if we keep working.”
With success comes attention, but Leming’s message to his teammates ahead of the new season is simple and direct. “Do not get complacent. Keep working. Prepare for every game like it’s the last and win one game at a time.” He believes the Tigers have the pieces to turn that mentality into another special year on the field. “We are very capable of making another memorable run. Offensively we have weapons everywhere and are well coached. Defensively we are fast physical and smart. Everyone on this team wants this run to be memorable and it’s gonna take everyone for it to be memorable.”
Leming points to teammate Carter Vanauken as a player ready to break out. “There are plenty of up-and-coming underclassmen who could go shock a lot of people but one I think will really explode into the scene is Carter Vanauken. He is as hardworking as they come and has had a lot of growth over the offseason and spring physically and mentally. He has a lot of high expectations on him for the season and he has met those expectations and then some. He really will be a key part of both sides of the ball this season.”
Off the field, Leming said his top priority has been his faith and how it guides every part of his life. “My top priority has been my relationship with God. I take God into everything football, work, home. I’ve been wanting to learn more and grow in my faith and when I have the opportunity to, I take it.” As he thinks about his legacy at Tuttle, Leming keeps the focus on effort and responsibility. “Just as someone who worked hard through everything and accepted challenges and took care of business.” Looking ahead, he hopes football continues beyond high school but already has a plan if it does not. “Football is the first option but if football doesn’t work out then architecture is the field of work I would like to do.”
