ERIC THE GREAT : Santa Ana’s Turner Plays Quarterback. . . And Doubles as a Hit Man on the Front

Playing your star quarterback at defensive end seems as absurd as entering a Rolls Royce in the demolition derby.

It would probably get ruined.

The quarterback is supposed to be the bread-and-butter of the offense--not the meat-and-potatoes of the defense. He’s supposed to frustrate defensive secondaries with his finesse--not drool at the thought of a blind-side hit on the opposing quarterback.

It just doesn’t make sense to subject your main offensive player to the rigors of defensive end.

But Dick Hill, Santa Ana High School coach, has stopped making sense.

His quarterback, Eric Turner, is the No. 8-rated passer in Orange County, having thrown for 830 yards and 11 touchdowns. But at 6-feet 5-inches and 210 pounds, Turner also is one of Hill’s best pass rushers. Since the Saints began Century League play four weeks ago, Hill has played Turner at defensive end for at least a quarter in each game.

“People must think I’m nuts to put my quarterback in that position, and I can’t disagree with them,� Hill said. “But Eric is a capable football player and he wants to do it.�

Wants to ? Turner has to practically beg Hill to play him on defense.

He had been playing linebacker in practice during the nonleague season, and Turner thought he was good enough to play both ways, but Hill didn’t want to risk an injury and kept him at quarterback.

But Hill changed his mind when the Saints opened league play against Foothill. Turner played about eight minutes at defensive end during Santa Ana’s 17-10 loss.

Hill decided to start Turner on defense against Canyon and its pass-happy quarterback, Todd French, hoping that Turner’s height might cause some problems for the Comanches. Turner played about three quarters, and the Saints forced four interceptions in defeating Canyon, 25-12.

Turner was at defensive end for about a quarter of last week’s 54-14 rout of Orange, but he should see plenty of action there against Tustin at Northrup Field tonight.

“I just showed the coach that I was the best guy for the job,� Turner said. “They say I shouldn’t do it because I might get hurt, but you can play wherever you want in high school football. If I’m able to help the team in any way, I’m just gonna go for it.�

Turner certainly hasn’t hurt the team by playing defense and, fortunately for the Saints, he hasn’t hurt himself.

“I’m pretty big and can take the hits,� Turner said.

He’s been a bigger hit on offense.

Turner has completed 50 of 101 passes and needs just 83 yards to surpass his 1984 output of 912 yards. Last season, he threw more interceptions (8) than touchdown passes (4). This year, he’s been intercepted 8 times but has thrown for 11 touchdowns.

Turner, a three-sport athlete and a starter on the basketball team since his sophomore year, participated in passing leagues over the summer and has matured as a quarterback. But Santa Ana’s offensive line, which includes Laile Afualo, Basilio Sanchez, Carlos Sanchez, Tony Gonzalez and Sergio Rocha, should receive as much credit for Turner’s improvement.

At the football banquet following the 1984 season, in which the Saints finished a disappointing 3-7, several of Santa Ana’s linemen apologized to Turner’s mother, Frances, for letting Eric get hit so many times.

They also promised that it wouldn’t happen this year.

“Good,� Frances replied at the time.

They weren’t kidding.

“They all started lifting weights and running over the summer, and they’ve done a good job this year,� Turner said. “I’ve probably been sacked twice so far.

“Last year, I used to set up in the pocket and get hit. Toward the end of the season, I was sort of scared out there. This year, I have my confidence because there’s no pressure. I just concentrate on the receiver and the secondary.�

Entering tonight’s game against Tustin, Santa Ana finds itself tied for second place in the Century League with a 2-1 record. Overall, the Saints are 3-3, but Turner thinks they should be 6-0. In each of its losses (to Newport Harbor, Saddleback and Foothill), Santa Ana led entering the fourth period.

The Saints, who won the league in 1983, can greatly improve their playoff chances with a victory tonight, but that’s not the only incentive they have to defeat the Tillers.

Last year, Tustin beat Santa Ana at its homecoming, so the Saints want to return the favor at the Tillers’ homecoming tonight. Turner suffered a concussion against Tustin last year, and there also was a bench-clearing brawl about a minute before the conclusion of that game, which the Tillers won, 17-7.

Turner doesn’t foresee anything like that happening tonight, though.

“We’re just gonna beat them, and then they won’t have any reason to fight.�

Spoken with the cockiness of a quarterback . . . and the assertiveness of a defensive end.