Sports

Murphy's Law

QB's perseverance, leadership pay dividends.
By Paul Perillo

Football coach Barry Gallup is glad Jim Murphy is his quarterback, but he recalls a time when he wasn't sure Murphy would even be part of the team.

Murphy was redshirted at the start of his freshman season in 1993. The coaching staff decided he would be better suited to play defense and wanted him to switch to safety the following season. "We felt at the time that [senior and current backup quarterback] Jeff Pilarcek had an edge over Jimmy," Gallup recalls. "Jimmy only weighed about 185 pounds then, but we wanted to utilize his athleticism and thought the defensive backfield was the best spot to do that."

Murphy, showing the maturity that would eventually turn him into one of the Huskies' best captains ever, went to Gallup with one request. "He asked me to give him one year at quarterback and if he wasn't good enough, he would make the switch," says Gallup. "He even thought about transferring, but what he did instead was turn himself into one of the best quarterbacks in the league."

Murphy got his shot just four games into the 1994 season. The Huskies had three losses with no wins and were in desperate need of a change when Murphy stepped into the lineup against Richmond. He performed impressively, connecting on 22 of 40 passes for 210 yards. Ironically, though, he recalls best one of his errant tosses. Midway through the third quarter, with the Huskies trailing 1611, he threw an interception that was returned for a game-breaking touchdown. N.U. lost the game, 2311. "I remember that play well," says Murphy with a smile. "I remember throwing that pass and never seeing [the player] until it was too late.

"That season was tough-playing as a young kid and trying to be the leader of a team as a youngster. I really struggled that first year, but everything happens for a reason and the bad outings and losses have made me a better player and person. I'm proud of myself for sticking through the tough times," he says.

The Huskies finished 29 in 1994 with Murphy throwing for 934 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. In 1995, Murphy improved, and N.U. also improved, to 47. With 1,890 yards passing, 10 touchdowns, and just 4 interceptions, he had established himself as the team's leader. Last year, the Huskies enjoyed their first winning season in a decade, going 65. Murphy completed 171 of 291 passes (59 percent) for 2,157 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Entering his final season, Murphy had started thirty consecutive games and compiled career Husky marks for passing yards, completions, and attempts. Overall, his name appears twenty-eight times on the Husky passing charts.

"I'm so proud of Jimmy because he's developed into an outstanding quarterback because of hard work," says Gallup. "He comes to practice and works as hard as anyone. He rarely has a bad practice. He truly has become the leader of our team and the focal point of our offense."

Never was that more evident than during the final drive of the 1996 season. With N.U. trailing New Hampshire by a point with 2:29 remaining, Murphy led the Huskies downfield with his quick, precise passing. Senior kicker Brandon Hanes was summoned to boot the game-winning thirty-five-yard field goal as time expired. With one drive, Northeastern accomplished two major feats: its first winning campaign since 1987 and its first win over New Hampshire since 1972.

Gallup isn't the only coach to take notice of Murphy's development. Quarterback coach Tom Colombo, who returned to N.U. this year after three years away, found a more mature signal caller than the one he left. "He accepts responsibility and his teammates love him. He makes good, quick decisions and feels more and more comfortable. He continues to improve, from the first week until now and also from yesterday to today," says Colombo.

The 1997 season is shaping up as Murphy's best. He earned back-to-back Golden Helmet awards as New England's Player of the Week for his performance in early games against Rhode Island (a 4113 win) and Delaware (a 3814 loss). N.U. won five of its first seven games, including the Huskies' first-ever win over William and Mary, a 3312 drubbing on October 4.

Looking ahead, Murphy and his coaches believe the strong-armed quarterback has a shot to at least go to camp with a National Football League team next summer. Now 6 feet 3 inches and 225 pounds, Murphy compares favorably to former Boston College quarterbacks Shawn Halloran (formerly of the Arizona Cardinals) and Glenn Foley (currently with the New York Jets), Gallup says. "Jimmy Murphy is going to make some NFL coach's life very difficult," jokes Gallup. "If he's not quite good enough to make an NFL roster, someone is going to have to agonize over cutting such a nice young man."

With all of Murphy's gridiron accomplishments, his most memorable collegiate moment came, strangely enough, on the hardwood of Duke University's Cameron Indoor Stadium in a 1993 basketball game. Murphy, who captained the football, basketball, and baseball teams at Reading (Massachusetts) High School, spent his redshirt season as a reserve guard for the Husky hoopsters. Late in N.U.'s 8672 loss to Duke, Murphy stepped in front of an errant Blue Devils' pass and raced downcourt.

"I remember it like it was yesterday," says Murphy proudly. "Cherokee Parks and Grant Hill were chasing me and I knew I wasn't going to get a clean shot off. I tried this up-and-under move and they swatted it out of bounds. It was pretty embarrassing, but the thrill of playing against those guys is something I'll never forget."

If life in the NFL doesn't pan out, Murphy is prepared. He plans to get a master's degree in business administration or perhaps enter law school. He credits the co-op program with opening doors and providing him with experiences that have influenced his life. "I've met so many people that could hire me," he says. "The people and the city, those are the most important experiences that I've had at Northeastern."

Field hockey makes perennial run at title

The date will likely be embedded in Cheryl Murtagh's mind forever. As the field hockey coach for the past ten years, Murtagh can tell you anything you need to know about September 18, 1994. She even has a ball sitting on a shelf in her office that commemorates the day.

"To go out to Iowa and play on their field and come out on top, that's when we knew we could compete on the national level." That 20 defeat of the nationally ranked Hawkeyes was much more than just a win. It legitimized a program that now must be considered the best in New England and one of the best in the nation.

Last season, the Huskies finished with a record of eighteen wins and seven losses and advanced to the national Final Four, their third trip in Murtagh's tenure. N.U.'s season ended with a hard-fought, one-point loss to eventual national champion North Carolina in the semifinals. It was a disappointing loss but a successful season.

This season, Northeastern is once again the front-runner in the America East Conference. The team overcame a shaky start-losing to Syracuse and top-ranked Old Dominion-with impressive wins against perennial top-twenty teams Ohio State, Massachusetts, Boston College, Connecticut, and Boston University.

Particularly impressive were the wins over UConn and BU. Both routinely appear in the NCAA Tournament, and the victories solidified N.U. as the region's top dogs. "They were certainly big tests for us," says Murtagh, who has compiled a record of 1395710 entering this season. "The reason we go out and play teams like Old Dominion is to prepare us for these games. We don't regret our decisions. Playing those teams makes us better."

Murtagh thinks the secret to her team's success is the type of students Northeastern attracts. While some national powerhouses such as Old Dominion and James Madison recruit foreigners who play one or two seasons, Murtagh takes pride in developing quality student-athletes. "Our team is built around hard work and that's kind of what the typical Northeastern student is-hard-working," says Murtagh.

Northeastern combines potent offense with stingy defense. Sixteen games into the season, the Huskies had allowed just 16 goals while scoring 61. Seniors Keri Bettenhauser and Jen White are among the school's all-time leading scorers. Bettenhauser was leading America East in scoring with 50 points through 16 games, while White was second with 49. Each has earned conference player-of-the-week honors this season.

"Keri is a great playmaker," says Murtagh. "She's like our quarterback on the field. She's very dynamic and develops a lot of plays for us. Jen is scrappy and aggressive. Her stick work is among the best that we've ever had at Northeastern." The Huskies are also solid in goal. Senior Danielle Butsch had fifteen career shutouts entering her final year and added six more in the first month of the season.

"I don't think we have a weak position," says Murtagh. "I think we're in a position where we can challenge people down the road. This is as talented a team as we've had the last few years." And as successful an athletic program as there is at Northeastern.

- Paul Perillo