Monday, December 16, 2013

BC needs to go hard after Tyler Murphy

Monday a little online controversy bubbled up over the status of former Florida QB Tyler Murphy. For those that didn't follow it, despite some frustration and confusion, Murphy is eligible to transfer and play immediately. Given his previous relationship with Addazio, BC is mentioned as one of his potential options. UConn and Louisville are also possible destinations. I don't feel the entire recruiting class nor the 2014 season depends on landing a 5th year transfer, but I do think Addazio needs to pull out all the stops to land Murphy.

Since we are all still riding the euphoric wave of the 2013 season, I don't know if anyone is looking at the reality of the 2014 season. We are losing a lot of talent on the offensive side of the ball. While the incoming talent is promising, starting an inexperienced QB is high risk. Murphy might not be as experienced as Rettig was this year but he's started more games than any other potential BC starter. He's faced SEC defenses. He's got his degree. He's from Connecticut. I don't think the transition to BC will rattle him. He'll be ready to play. His upside might not be huge, but he's a stable solution.

Even if he doesn't start, BC needs Murphy for depth too. Right now BC only has two definite QBs for the 2014 season: current redshirt James Walsh and incoming freshman Darius Wade. Josh Bordner remains eligible for a 5th year, but there has been no clear indication that he is coming back. All the Spaz QBs are gone or are leaving. Troy Flutie will get a shot at QB, but he's still young and raw. Any or all of these guys could be hurt or struggle. It would be nice to have one more veteran around.

Transfers -- especially 5th years -- also help Addazio bring in talent and balance out the roster.

Even if he never sees the field, Murphy would also serve as a great recruiting tool. Like Patchan, he would be another guy who followed Addazio. When new recruits visit BC, there is no better statement about what it is like to play for Addazio than seeing other players come to BC to play for him again.

Darius Wade is expected to be the future of BC football. I cannot wait to see him on campus. But having Murphy around next year might make things a little less rocky in 2014.

37 comments:

CT said...

When you say we are losing a lot of talent, you mean....Williams, Patchan, Amidon? We'll include Freese and Rettig, but that's not what you meant. Okay. A lot of talent? Kinda think we're selling ourselves short. Williams for sure, but that's the one position that's fixable, so to speak.

If they're planning on redshirting the incoming QB, I would consider Murphy. But I'm not convinced he's all that good. If you want to sell the conference really short, maybe he's better in the ACC. Not like BC has a world of talent at WR in any given year, however, and if Daz wants to go spread option, there are better options. I guess if he wanted to be close to home...for one year? I kinda just want to get the rebuilding started. Not sure Murphy would move the meter for me.

EL MIZ said...

if Bordner comes back, i'm not really sure why we need Murphy. i think getting Wade into the mix right away is a good thing.

Murphy's #'s were on par with Rettig, and all we could talk about was how bad Rettig was and whether it was worth benching him.

strictly for depth, if we need him (IE if Bordner decides he's done, b/c I believe Lowrie is transferring and that'd leave us with Wade and Walsh) then he'd be a nice security blanket, but Wade is enrolling in the second semester and my hope is he's the starter come September.

eagleboston said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
eagleboston said...

"Since we are all still riding the euphoric wave of the 2013 season, I don't know if anyone is looking at the reality of the 2014 season. We are losing a lot of talent on the offensive side of the ball."

Careful, ATL. When I mentioned this 2 weeks ago, I got skewered. I don't think the casual BC fan realizes what we are losing - the best running back, the best receiver and the best kicker, not of this season, not of this decade, but in school history. And we have to break in a new QB. While the program is heading in the right direction, next season may be a drop off until young players gain experience.

Big Jack Krack said...

I'm with CT and El Miz t this time.

I'll need to know more about Murphy. I'm sure he's pretty goo, but I don't think he's our answer. But I don't get paid to make those decisions,

Go BC - beat Arizona.

Legal Eagle said...

I agree with ATL. We are losing enough on offense that next year would be a tough transition even if we had a back up who had been groomed for a couple years. But with zero experience at the position, I think Murphy is an excellent stop gap for a year. He has been in a similar system for 4 years and has started some games in the SEC. I think he could be a great addition and help give Wade a little time to develop.

Bravesbill said...

It was interesting that most Florida fans wanted Murphy to start instead of Driskell. Also, Murphy would be a great stop-gap. The ACC defenses are nowhere near the SEC's in terms of quality. Murphy has played against the best. He should be able to do a decent job while helping groom Wade for 2015.

CatabEagle said...

I also agree with ATL, and moreso, I don't see a downside. He's an experienced SEC QB who, coming out of high school was ****, so the physical tools are there. Some players do better out of the bright lights (ask any yankees fan) and maybe all he needs to reach that potential is a change of scenery.

Upside, we have an SEC experienced 4 star QB who finds his niche and fulfills the potential DAZ saw in him 4 years ago, giving us stability in 2014 at a very unstable spot.

Downside , we lose 1 scholarship for 1 year.

Where's the risk?

Kash86 said...

He wasnt a 4* qb out of HS. He was a 2 star temple commit who Daz flipped late primarily because he was from CT and a relationship with his father.

That being said, I think BC is in a position where they NEED to try and bring him in.

Throw out his stats and how they compare to rettig, he has in game experience in a P5 conference. That right there makes him a more viable option than Bordner and Walsh who are both major question marks.

With the under recruiting of Spaz, we have space. If he wants to come to BC (as it sounds like this is as much an educational decision as it is FB)to compete with Bordner and Walsh, I think that is a win win.

Having the ability to begin to redshirt players is important going forward.

CatabEagle said...

My error. Got confused looking at Silberman (4*), Kent Taylor (4*) and Murphy. If we can get all three I'd be in!

NEDofSavinHill said...

The first five games next year could be UMass, USC, Maine and Colo. St all in Boston, and a road game at Wake. If that is the case what better way to break in a freshman QB. Road games at FSU and VT will be very difficult no matter who the QB is but the entire schedule is favorable. BC doesn't need Murphy. BC is not going to be devoid of talent, Three O-Line members are back. The RB position will be good. The QB replacement may be an upgrade. The second half of the Syracuse game is an indication of the potency of next years offense BC will have more wins next year than this. 2. Some have lamented the D this year but it was improved over last year. They never would have won the VT game if they hadn't caused four turnovers. The opposing QB had some success running but they stopped the RB on the other team in all games save USC.( they were on the field all day because the offense went three and out regularly).Their strongest player Absmedad was out injured. Because of their philosophy of aggressiveness they left their D backs exposed. The d-backs overall played well and they'll be back next year with more experience. The future is bright.

Legal Eagle said...

I dont think its possible to overestimate how hard it would be for a true freshman quarterback to succeed in any BCS conference at QB on a team with our current talent level. I am excited about Wade, but he isnt a 5 star recruit. Even if he were, 18 year olds are huge wild cards.
Anyone who thinks we can count on him to play QB for a winning team next year is delusional.

Hoib said...

I would like to see him come im. It adds competition and insurance against injuries. When I say competition I'm thinking spring practice, I assume he would be here , but don't know the transfer rules in that regard. If Wade's good enough to beat him out I don't think people will be that upset about Murphy.

mod34b said...

interesting blurbabge from 2010:

"Two-star quarterback Tyler Murphy from Wethersfield, Conn., became the Gators' 26th oral commitment of 2010 during his official visit to Gainesville this weekend. Murphy, a 6-foot-2, 190-pounder with 4.4-second speed in the 40-yard dash, was a commitment to Temple before the Gators got involved.



Travis Meyer, coach with New England Five-Star Quarterback Training who worked with Murphy extensively over the last year, said UConn and Syracuse originally offered Murphy scholarships as an "athlete," but he chose Temple because he wanted to be a quarterback.

"He didn't have a strong sophomore or junior passing year statistically, but his growth up to this senior year was phenomenal," Meyer said. "He was almost unstoppable on the run. He had six touchdowns in one game on the ground. A quarterback has to have mental skills, and he's got that. There's a built-in bias among Connecticut players because nationally people assume the competition isn't great, but athletes are athletes. Florida recognizes that."
"

Hario said...

I havent really watched Murphy but I dont see why there is a downside to bringing in a qb who has starting experience in the SEC.

I always worry about starting a true freshman from day one (how often has that been successful in recent history? - matt barkley?.. im more asking cause im not sure of the top of my head...maybe im wrong) if Murphy gets beat out by wade than he does than there is still depth

I dont see what the downside is

JBQ said...

You state that all of the Spaz qbs are gone or leaving. Since I am from St. Louis, I am interested in Christian Suntrup. I have no problem with him leaving. I hope that he loses the "albatross" and moves on to bigger and better things. He has two years left depending on where he goes. I wish him well. He was a very good high school qb at Chaminade Prep. As for Murphy, I have seen pictures of him. He appears to be a "cool" customer. I would say that it would be a priority to bring him to bridge the gap. When Russell Wilson left NC St. for Wisconsin, the Badgers really were pushed up a step. The same would be true of Murphy with big time starting experience in the Southeastern Conference.

Knucklehead said...

Suntrup sucks.

He is short, slow and has trouble reading defenses.

Saw him at the spring game last year . . . real bad.

Knucklehead said...

Ok. Here we go.

Andre Williams is not the best running back in BC history. Here are four as good as him that I can think of off the top of my balding, tired and over educated head(I know he has the most yards in ONE season, good kid etc).

Not in order.

1) Chuckie Dukes
2) Derrick Knight
3) Mike Cloud
4) Darnell Campbell

Chuckie Dukes was awesome . . . Prop 48. Tore shit up.

ATL,
I want a "where are they now" segment/post. Please start with Jamal Burke and Dwight Shirley. I don't care about the guys who have made it big on Wall Street. I want to know about the regular guys.

Anonymous said...

Dwight Shirley - !

JBQ said...

@Knucklehead: Actually, I accept your opinion. The point is that BC needs to have a national recruiting base. St. Louis is not a suburb of Boston last time I looked. BC has recruited at Rockhurst in Kansas City. Rettig was "surfing on the beach" when he was recruited in Cali. Murphy would be brought in from Florida even though he grew up in Connecticut. ND is a university and program which is on the wane. ND just won the national championship in soccer. I watched the second half and then an analysis and video where there were two hand balls and one was intentional. Actually, they cheated to win over Maryland. The referee who was the MLS "referee of the year" was a personal friend of Bobby Clark, ND coach, who played for the Scotch national team. This was not an Irishmen who drank his way to fame. So far, BC is doing it right. William Patrick Leahy, the red headed Irishman, is right up there with Frank of the same last name. I would just like to say a nice word about Suntrup who is from a Toyota dynasty. I saw him play as a junior against Webster Groves HS which won the state championship. Chaminade whose president is Lebanese just like Flutie was beaten like a drum during the season by Webster. Suntrup led a comeback and with six seconds left, their kicker got a 46 yrd field goal to go ahead. The kickoff went out of the end zone. They put in their prized ghetto running back (now at Iowa St) as a safety for the last play. The long pass went up and the safety knocked down 2-3 Chaminade tacklers to allow an 80 yd td reception at the gun. This is now called the "Miracle at Moss Field". In that situation, Suntrup gave his all. It is my understanding that Suntrup has given his all at BC. Unfortunately, he has been tied to the memory of Spaz and is now a scapegoat. He could have gone to Nebraska. How about "patting him on the back" and saying "nice try" and wish him well. The obvious attempts by BC supporters to "tar and feather" Suntrup is outlandish and unfortunate. He is a young man who went away to BC to search for personal fulfillment in the BC Jesuit tradition instead of going to Nebraska. Good for his effort. Even on "Mutiny of the Bounty", Mr. Christian was looked at with respect. I thought that Spaz turned out to be an abysmal failure. However, for the BC community to take out their frustration on the signature quarterback for Spaz is unfortunate and bordering on a "witch hunt". Thank you Christian Suntrup for making your effort to do your best and to carry the flag from St. Louis and the Chaminade community. I wish you well in your future endeavors and encourage you to "leave your toilet paper behind".

CatabEagle said...

Nice story JBQ, but phrases like "prized ghetto" have no place anywhere, let alone this board. It's taken a long time for BC to be seen remotely as a friendly place for people of color (and its not lost on opposing recruiters), and we don't need language like that anywhere associated with our university. [stepping off soap box].

Big Jack Krack said...

I have always wondered about Christian Suntrup, as he looked good on paper.

I'm too far away to see the Spring Game usually, and I don't get the inside scoop - except on this board and another one. That's why Atl blog is so important to me.

I for one wish Suntrup well. For every starting QB, there are always several others who don't quite make it. I hope his time at BC has been rewarding.

Speaking of QBs without getting into talent, it seems as though we have 6 or more on the roster. That can get very confusing, I'm sure - too many cooks in the kitchen.

No wonder some of them are leaving.

JBQ said...

@CatabEagle: So, there is no difference between Andre Williams and Jameis Winston. Until we can differentiate without the benefit of color coordinates, then we as a society are lost. Look at the difference between LeBron James and Chris Bosh. James went to St. Vincent and has class (also has a baby's mama as a news anchor here in St. Louis) but still is quite likeable and a good role model. Chris Bosh to say it nicely has a checkered past which includes an overdoes death of a masseuse in his home. If you can't differentiate between good and evil, then we are all lost. We now have a pope who appears to be differentiation challenged. I thought that BC teaches one to think. If minorities cannot handle constructive criticism, then "what's a heaven for". Everyone has faults, even minorities.

CatabEagle said...

So much to address there JBQ without stacking my soapboxes up on top of one another so I'll let it rest. Lets leave this board to BC sports, and keep the conversation civil and respectful for all. This is the primary BC sports message board, so this board reflects the BC community to outsiders and can be used as cannon fodder for those who like to present BC as a community unwelcome to those of color. I'd like to think we're a pretty great place for whomever is fortunate enough to receive admission. Let's all do our part to keep pushing our reputation in the right direction, that's all.

Bravesbill said...

Knucklehead--I'd throw William Green up on your list, probably at the #1 or #2 slot. Dude was a beast and had all the talent in the world even though he was an abysmal failure in the NFL.

Hoib said...

Knucklehead,

Can't leave out "Wilmington" Mike Esposito.
I'd put William Green in there too.

Legal Eagle said...

I guess it depends on what criteria you use. Willie Green was most talented BC running back I have seen play, bar none. I doubt that changes anytime soon. He was a freak of nature and a high first round pick. DKnight is the opposite end of the spectrum. No shot at an NFL career because he was not all that physically gifted. Nonetheless he was the most productive BC back until Andre Williams came along.
Thats what makes Andre so special. He is nearly as talented as Green, but as humble, dedicated and hard working as DKnight.

mod34b said...

CatabEagle, Thanks for pointing out JBQ's offensive remarks. No need to say your are on a soapbox. 99% of posters agree with you. JBQ's comments should not have been typed. I wish ATL would do a better job of deleting such offensive posts.

I wouldn't waste your pixels on JBQ. I always thought his name should have been Knucklehead (and I confuse the two because of each's antipathy to the use of more than one paragraph), but that name is taken.

Last, this is a nice blog, but I do not think it makes a whit of difference -- yea or nay -- for BC's reputation.

dixieagle said...

Yikes, JBQ.

So, who's going to the bowl game? I've got tickets and a hotel reservation, and am close to going by myself, as my usual suspects are all working or out of town this year. Would hate to pass up a bowl game this close and a chance to see Andre in action.

If you're going, where are you staying? I went with the Homewood Suites, pretty close to the stadium, as the Hilton was full.

CatabEagle said...

Knucklehead,

While I'm a grad of the last 2 decades (mere pup in BJK terms), shouldn't Montel be in the conversation. He had to carry the offense through some of its worst years, and, while never shocking the world, had some darn good consistency. My list since 1995, all of whom i've seen live through their careers;

1. Willie Green. Best physical specimen we've had at running back in my memory. Singlehandedly destroyed the Dogs in Nashville. Saw many men in red cry that day.
2. Andre Williams; 2000+ yards. Downside was he was never a great pass catcher or blocker. Never had Willie's burst.
3. Mike Cloud. Great all around back, workhorse of the bc 3 yards and a cloud of dust era.
4. Montel Harris; could catch, block, find space between the smallest of holes. Best balance I've ever seen of a BC Back.
5. Derrick Knight. Great 3 down back, always seemed to be able to turn the corner and get an extra 5 yards, great hands out of the backfield. Biggest hit on him is that he played behind a monster of a line so we'll never know how good he was.


Bravesbill said...

Catab, Montel Harris was never much of pass catcher. I'd actually take him out of your list and insert Andre Callender. That guy did everything (esp. in his senior year) and was one of the biggest reasons for BC's success in 2007. He could pick up the blitz, almost rushed for 1000 yards, and had 76 receptions for over 700 yards. He was probably the best balanced back BC has had in a while. And don't forget that his career rushing stats are skewed because he shared playing time with LV Whitworth.

Hoib said...

Knuck

I don't know how I forgot Montel, also Troy Stratford.

When u are known as O line U it stands to reason there will be allot of great backs.

To paraphrase Willie and Julio, I've loved them all.

Knucklehead said...

Those were the ones I thought of quickly. Omari Walker and David Green(guy who fumbled against WV that cost us Sugar Bowl in early 90's) where also good. Willie Green escaped my memory.


Mod,
I don't agree anything you write. Pure statistical garbage.

mod34b said...

Knucklehead - I am not a fan of your posts either. But glad to see you using separate paragraphs!

mod34b said...

Knucklehead - I am not a fan of your posts either. But glad to see you using separate paragraphs!

Knucklehead said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Knucklehead said...

You are jealous that I know more about everything than you do.

You are passive aggressive which is the absolute worst personality trait.