Today we cover a former defensive end from Florida.
Clarence Murphy, Junior (RS), Outside Linebacker, #98
via grfx.cstv.com
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 245
Twitter: Couldn't find any
Collegiate Stats: Three tackles (all assisted) in three games
High School Stats: 75 tackles, 12 sacks, three deflected passes
Recruiting Ratings: Three stars by Rivals (#94 in Fla.), Scout (#84 DE), ESPN (#92 DE)
High School: Hollywood Hills
Hometown: Hollywood, Fla.
High School Highlights:
How'd He Get to College Park?
Murphy was thought to be a package deal with star teammate and cornerback Tony Grimes coming out of high school, and there was a time where it looked like they would go to Michigan together. However, Murphy committed to Maryland thanks to Don Brown, and Grimes ended up at Ole Miss.
Murphy chose Maryland because they were the first big school to recruit him, and he soon became very comfortable with Brown and Dave Sollazzo, who are no longer with the program. Other schools to offer the defensive linemen included Michigan, South Florida, and Wisconsin.
After his great senior season, in which he led Broward County in sacks, he was named first team all-County and played in the 2010 USA vs. The World game. He is also a super hero:
"We had an incident where a car overturned in a canal," [coach Scott] Barnwell said. "[Murphy] was with me and helped me rescue a baby and two people trapped in the car. There was a 2-year old in the car seat. The door had broken through and the car seat became wedged. On the other side, there was a lady unconscious in the water. It was kind of a nightmare — I can’t even tell you. But [Murphy] completely ripped the car door right off that was trapped. I don’t know how he did it, but he did it. It’s a wonderful thing that he did. That’s the kind of kid [Maryland is] getting in the program."
Murphy redshirted in 2010, and entered the 2011 season on top of the depth chart at one of the two defensive end positions. Instead, fellow Floridian freshman Keith Bowers got the nod, and Murphy played in just two games - recording one tackle against Miami and two versus Temple. He was two time defensive scout team player of the week.
Before spring practice last year, Murphy was moved from defensive end to outside linebacker. He played in just one game, the season finale against North Carolina, but was twice named scout team defensive player of the week.
Nickname:
"Boddicker"
Career Highlight:
Recording two tackles against Temple as a redshirt freshman.
Dream Season:
Murphy beats out Yannick Cudjoe-Virgil and receives some playing time as a back-up.
2013 Prospectus:
Clarence Murphy is slotted third at WILL, but with Yannick Ngakoue and Derrick Hayward coming in at the position, it's a little more stacked than it might first appear. Murphy, surprisingly, is behind Yannick Cudjoe-Virgil on the depth chart, a Division II transfer who we'll cover later. Seeing as Murphy played just one game last year, however, perhaps it isn't so much of a shock.
Murphy's hope this year is to beat out Cudjoe-Virgil and Hayward - and the latter seems very likely (while the former could be a toss-up). However, Marcus Whitfield, if healthy, could be firmly entrenched as the starter at WILL, and Yannick Ngakoue is one of the best defensive players to come into the program in recent memory. He could start from day one, and if that's the case it's nearly impossible to see Murphy getting any playing time at all over his last two years.
Up Next:
Our next player went to the same high school as one of the top running backs in the NFL (who plays professionally in that same state).
Scaletta continues the climb up the charts.
Standings:
ClickClack62 - 6
curterp - 3
Maryland1206 - 3
Scaletta - 3
Redturtle - 2
802Terp - 2
thirstyturtlelives - 2
UATerp - 2
proudterp - 1
terpsfinish - 1
KHemer - 1
apgibson24 - 1
Seaville81 -1