‘’Did you know, Tom,’’ came the question from the sandy-haired man outside of Iavarone’s restaurant in north Tampa, a fine, friendly steak place, ‘’that I got four kids off my 2001 championship team at Chamberlain (High) in the NFL? Four? Not yet all starters but they were there this 2006 year. Proud.’’

Four off the same high school team in Tampa, already a cradle of pro coaches? Wow!

‘’Yep, my 2001 state finals team (12-3) that lost only to Naples in the title game at Tallahassee. Know that?’’ asked Coach Billy Turner, sandy-haired, smiling as ever, walking as if he’s straddling a row on a strawberry farm, this Chamberlain head coach of so much success and so many years.

‘’Remember we lost the first two, won the next 12, then lost the Naples game. Beat Hillsborough High twice that season, remember?’’ Billy Turner went on. He was into it now.

‘’Four guys off my team were in the NFL some, if not all of the season. Remember?’’

No, sorry. Tell me.

He did. They are:

Oliver ‘’Ollie’’ Hoyte: Dallas Cowboys (North Carolina State). Linebacker, 6-3, 250.

Broderick Bunkley: Philadelphia Eagles (Florida State). Defense, 6-2, 300. Powerful.

Brian Clark: Denver Broncos (North Carolina State). Wide receiver, 6-2, 204, punts, too. Got big.

Greg Lee: Arizona Cardinals (Pittsburgh). Wide receiver, 6-1, 202.

Most active last year was Hoyte. Played plenty. May play more. 

Bunkley was a first-round draft pick. You know he’ll stick. 

‘’We didn’t make any of them great football players, but we taught them the hard work ethic. I am sure that contributed to their success so far,’’ said Turner, a Hall of Fame athlete at the University of Tampa (1956-60) and a Hall of Fame high school coach. He is into his 28th year in education, in teaching and coaching. He’s a marvel. He isn’t just The Coach, he’s the example as a man, father, teacher and coach.

This lanky kid out of Auburndale went to the University of Tampa to play his sports before it became a big-time place. He went when Marcelino Huerta had that as his ambition from his offices in those days on a floating rig on the Hillsborough River in front of the beautiful campus. Huerta was just right for the time, then moving to Wichita to do big things there and return to Tampa to run the MacDonald Training Center and continue as an extraordinary contributor to this town. He died far too young, but his family remains in Tampa.

In those days, the coach now and then would suit up at the half or on the sidelines and slip into the game for a few plays. Huerta did. An official noticing he was in uniform, said he was breaking the rules. But Chelo told him, ‘’won’t matter. I can’t play any better than I can coach.’’

Different deal with Billy Turner. This wonderful master athlete, quarterback and leader lettered all four years in three sports. No one did that before, or after.

‘’I loved the university then and I do now. You and I remember all the great stories, especially when the Spartans played at Plant Field, and then Phillips Field, now Tampa Preparatory School. But, now, only some of the key spectator sports are gone — like football. UT was never better than now under President Robert Vaughn, nor was it ever so vibrant, exploding with new facilities, including dorms, a new athletic field where old Plant once was, and ambition.

‘’I know, I know,’’ said Billy Turner, with wife Lucy the parents of eight, a majority in education here. ‘’I won’t quit that. I won’t stop being a part of UT, of Chamberlain where we had that wonderful 2001 season and so many others, and of working with young people who look to us for help and guidance.’’

And, they get it, Billy Boy, they get it.