High School Sports

Former TCU football star resigns at North Side, becomes head coach at Fort Worth Southwest

North Side head football coach Joseph Turner resigns.
North Side head football coach Joseph Turner resigns. Special to the Star-Telegram

Fort Worth North Side head football coach Joseph Turner announced that he is leaving the program after 11 years.

Although Turner is leaving the Steers, he is staying in Fort Worth. Matt Stepp of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football first reported Turner was named the head coach at Fort Worth Southwest.

Fort Worth ISD Athletics confirmed the report to the Star-Telegram.

North Side missed the playoffs in 2023 with a 2-5 record in District 4-5A D2 and had a 4-6 season record. The Steers dealt with injuries to top players including quarterback Kevin Ortega.

Southwest had a decent year in District 4-5A D2, narrowly missing the playoffs with a 3-4 district record. The Raiders had a 4-6 overall record and were led by junior quarterback Jahbori Cooper Suttice, a 2023 Fort Worth All-Area honorable mention.

Southwest last made the playoffs in 2021 under head coach Daron Franklin. Phillip Tanner, who left the Raiders to become head coach at Burleson on April 16, 2024, proceeded Franklin.

Turner became North Side’s head coach in 2015 following two years as an assistant. At that time, the Steers hadn’t made the playoffs since 1979, and the drought was one of the longest in Texas football. In 2019, Turner led North Side to the playoffs.

Before his time coaching high school football, Turner was a running back at TCU. He thrived with the Horned Frogs under Gary Patterson, leading the program in rushing yards for three consecutive seasons.

In 2024, North Side will join Arlington Heights, Fort Worth Paschal, Fort Worth Polytechnic, Fort Worth South Hills, Fort Worth Trimble Tech, Fort Worth Wyatt, Saginaw Chisholm Trail and Saginaw in District 4-5A D1.

Southwest will be in District 5-4A D1 with Decatur, Fort Worth Carter Riverside, Fort Worth Eastern Hills, Fort Worth Western Hills, Fort Worth Diamond Hill-Jarvis and Springtown.

This story was originally published May 20, 2024 at 4:01 PM.

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Charles Baggarly
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Charles Baggarly is a high school sports editor and reporter for the Fort Worth Star Telegram. He graduated from TCU in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and served as TCU 360’s sports editor. Connect with Charles on Twitter or via email.
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