A search continued Monday in Southwest Virginia’s hilly terrain for a missing high school football coach — whose 12-0 team advanced in the state playoffs without him — after he was sought by police last week.
Travis Lee Turner, the coach of Union High in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, was last seen Thursday. A spokesman for the Virginia State Police said Monday via email that the agency’s search for him has “utilized a number of assets, including search and rescue teams, drones and k9s.”
State police special agents were sent Thursday to Turner’s Wise County residence in Appalachia, Virginia, as part of the “early stages of an investigation” and not to make an arrest, per the spokesman. The agents were said to have been informed while on their way that Turner was no longer at his residence.
“At this time, Turner has not been located,” the spokesman said Monday night. “The investigation remains ongoing.”
According to a listing in Virginia’s missing persons database, Turner is a 6-foot-3, 260-pound 46-year-old who was last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt, sweatpants and glasses.
Union High School’s head football coach, Travis Turner, has officially been listed in the Virginia State Police’s (VSP) database for missing persons. https://t.co/eFM5n3p8M4
— WJHL (@WJHL11) November 23, 2025
A star quarterback at Appalachia High, where he played for his father, Turner followed his father’s footsteps to Virginia Tech. A member of the Hokies’ recruiting class of 1998, Turner arrived at the same time as Michael Vick, who immediately became a national sensation. After one year, Turner transferred to Division II Virginia Wise, where he led the 1999 team in passing and total offense. Turner finished his college playing career at Eastern Kentucky, where he led the Colonels in passing yardage in 2002.
Turner has reportedly been Union’s coach since 2011. An email sent to his school address Monday night did not receive an immediate response.
When asked Monday for comment on Turner, the superintendent for the Wise County Public Schools system provided a statement: “A staff member has been placed on administrative leave with pay while an external agency reviews an allegation that was reported to the division. This is standard procedure and is not a determination of wrongdoing. This situation also involves an active law-enforcement matter, and the division cannot comment further.”
Turner’s team at Union, having advanced in the first round of the playoffs the previous week, kept its postseason journey going Saturday with a 12-0 win over defending Class 2 state champion Graham. Defensive coordinator Jay Edwards was given the role of interim coach.
“This is all about these players,” Edwards said after the win (via WCYB). “I’m beyond proud of them.”
“We talked in the huddle,” said Union player Keith Chandler, “and we just went, ‘Listen, boys, we’re going to have to handle adversity here, but if we stick together as brothers, we should come out with the victory.’”
Next up for Union, the top seed in its regional bracket, is a matchup this Saturday in the region final against Ridgeview. The winner advances to the state semifinals.
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