Harbaugh adds Ron Turner and Derek Mason to staff

An offseason of turnover is seemingly over, as the Stanford football team finalized its coaching hires on Wednesday. The Cardinal announced several long-expected moves that shake up the staff on both sides of the ball.

The most recent additions, quarterbacks and wide receivers coach Ron Turner and defensive backs coach Derek Mason, both come to The Farm after stints in the NFL. Turner most recently served as the offensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears, and was previously an assistant at Stanford in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

“Not only does Ron Turner have a great deal of familiarity with Stanford University, but he also was my coordinator and position coach in Chicago, and I have long held a tremendous amount of respect for the job he does,” said head coach Jim Harbaugh.

Mason comes from the Minnesota Vikings, where he was the assistant defensive backs coach for three seasons.

“Derek is a tremendous person, an outstanding teacher, a spiritual model, a strong communicator, a hard worker and a consummate winner,” Harbaugh said. “I feel very confident that we hired the best secondary coach for Stanford in the country.”

They join three other, previously announced newcomers to the Cardinal ranks: defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Vic Fangio, special teams coordinator Brian Polian and defensive line coach Randy Hart. Both Polian and Hart come over from Notre Dame, where they served in their current capacities, while Fangio heads to Stanford from the Baltimore Ravens, where he was last the linebackers coach and special assistant to head coach John Harbaugh, Jim’s brother.

The five additions to the Cardinal staff replace a number of departed coaches. Co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Andy Buh left to be the defensive coordinator at Nevada, his alma mater. Running backs coach Willie Taggart assumed the head-coaching job at Western Kentucky, where he was a star quarterback in the 1990s. He was joined by defensive backs coach Clayton White, who left to assume the same position for the Hilltoppers. Special teams coordinator and defensive ends coach D.J. Durkin left to coordinate special teams and coach linebackers at Florida. Assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator Ron Lynn has moved on from his role with the team but has remained at Stanford, where he will take the role of Director of Player Development.

Other members of the staff will also take on new responsibilities. Greg Roman, the offensive tackles and tight ends coach, will be the associate head coach and assistant head coach of the offense, while still maintaining his positional role. Offensive coordinator David Shaw will also take on the running backs coach job — his dual position had earlier been coordinator and wide receivers — and Lance Anderson will switch from defensive tackles to outside linebackers. He will retain his duties as recruiting coordinator.

The new staff and their players will begin spring practices on March 1.