iramurphy

Cratter, we always have been and always will be "THE UNIVERSITY" of North Dakota.

I can't imagine anyone with a life so empty they would want to go and "talk" to you. Considering you are no longer Lakota (Lako Tanolonger), what the hell are you other than a troll? I seriously doubt you are Native. I would guess you are still suffering from your yesterday's loss hangover. If you are Native you are an embarassment to your culture. You show no evidence of intelligence, courage or class.

Head coach doesn't have total control over the program he has the resposibility for the overall program. Same head coach getting criticized landed the area's top QB this year and we are getting a number of other good early commits. Pretty difficult to judge someone's recruiting ability during transition but having said that we have who we have and we have not had good play from the QB position. Dale Lennon was an excellent coach but his biggest mistake as a UND coach was not playing Reed Manke as a Soph. He played Belmore who was a great kid, good athlete and had some decent games. He watched these guys everyday in practice and struggled with the decision. It isn't always as easy as it seems. That goes for other levels including the pros. Look at all of the sure things QB's who went bust (DeMarcus Russell, Ryan Leaf are two of the biggest). The Sioux have been OK this season. Should have won the Cal Poly game and are capable of beating Cal Davis and SDak. We need to see improvement year to year and I would say two years from now will be the key year, If we lay an egg next year or regress then that changes things. Coaches don't tend to return to their former schools so I think this question is moot.

Thanks for the video, I hadn't seen it. Mariucci was a pall bearer along with other former coaches and Murph's pal Vince Liddy from Grand Forks. Before my son-in-law signed with the Cowboys the Lions had him in for a workout and Murph called Steve and asked him to take a close look at him. There were a lot of similar stories about how Murph knew and kept track of his former players but also knew their kids names and what they were doing. He frequently did things like that for his former players or coaches or the families. Murph also treated the people around his programs like he did his All-Americans. Mike Wirtz, former Sioux student manager was at the funeral and Murph loved him and kept in contact with him just like he did with his star players. That would have made Murph just as happy as having Mariucci there.

Great sendoff for Murph yesterday. His family put together a very nice tribute. Church was packed. Lots of great Murphy stories. The Cal State players appreciated Murph as much as we did. Many of them gave him credit for getting them out of poor neighborhoods and helping them become successful. Former UND head coaches, Jerry Olson, Roger Thomas and Dale Lennon all were there. Asst. coaches Del Wight, Larry Manfull, Rob Bollinger, Tom Tatum, Danny Martinson, Corey Colehauer, John Miklesh were all there. Miklesh, Manfull and Roger Thomas all coached with him Cal State. Steve Mariucci was there as was Northwestern Asst. Jerry Brown. Roger, Steve and Jerry had some great Murphy stories and took a number of us over to their former offices. A reminder of how much Murph and his staff did with so little. Damon Allen his former QB who rewrote the record books in the CFL shared some great stories. Brian Grover was the UND QB when Mariucci was the QB at Northern Michigan and they were comparing stories. UND was well represented by former coaches and players. The family and CSF put together a nice video tribute that included his UND days. Murph leaves a beautiful family: Tim, Mike and their families, his daughter Aileen, his friend Christine and former wife Kathy (Bruiser) couldn't have been more gracious. The time Gene spent with his players and coaches was time away from family for those folks and we owe them a debt of thanks for sharing their Dad/Husband with the players and the Fighting Sioux family. Mariucci had pictures of Murph behind him for his broadcasts last week. as a tribute to Murph. May he rest in peace.

Because I am an alumnus I can't talk to these kids about going to UND but he never once indicated he "really wanted to be a Bison" . Tell the somebody they don't know what they are talking about. The DL coaches said he was leaning toward UND all along and when he got his offer he commited. I did not hear your guys had offered and he didn't wait to see if the offer was coming. The Detroit Lakes kids do not all want to be Bison. We have not lost a DL kid to the Bison in almost 20 years.

I don't know that they had offered him. They were talking to him and certainly looking at him. Bohl and Vigen made sure they wore their yellow costumes and stood on the sidelines when they came down to scout him. (Mollberg was't playing that game and they were there to watch LaBatt.) I think the biggest problem was he wouldn't have qualified academically. Brian has above a 4.0 GPA and his ACT is 29 or 30. I believe you still need to be below 16 to get in and to the AC have a waiver from Joe Chapman to if your GPA is above a 2.5. ( I think Joe is still in his hidey hole somewhere in Colorado so I don't know what the heck they will do if they get a few recruits who happen to be good students.)

he committed yesterday. good job by sioux coaches getting him. 4.0 GPA and 30 ACT. great athelte.

Murph's Funeral is Monday, Nov. 7 at 11 AM at the St. Juliana Falconieri Church, 1316 N. Acacai Ave., Fullerton, Ca. There is a prayer service the night before at the McAulay and Wallace Funeral Home, 902 N. Harbor, Fullerton, Ca.

We need more than one QB for next year. We need big fast LB's. Our O-line and Dline have made good strides this year. We need to always recruit speed at the skill positions RB, Receiver, DB's. Receivers need to hang on to the ball. When we have struggled with the FBS teams or good FCS teams these areas seem to be our weakness.

Nice article in the LA times on Gene Murphy. They called him "Father Flannagn with a whistle".

You could add Frank Zazula to the group. Your experience is a great example of what made Murph special. If you were a UND guy or gal your were special to Murph whether or not you were a FB player. He helped make UND and UND athletics (not just FB) what it is. The same comments are coming from former players, and students from Cal State and Fullerton College.

Great school, great program, great tradition and Big Sky. More importantly great future in store for UND FB. HE will get to be a big part of that. UND FB is getting close and I think he likes the idea of a chance to be the next great UND QB and lead UND to FCS prominence. UND also has more to offer academically than most other schools in the area. He liked the UND coaches and he liked the UND players he met. He grew up watching the Manke brothers at DL and then UND. Good match for Joe. Early commit helps recruiting other kids and we are getting some nice early commits. Big Sky travel to Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, California and Montana is an attractive peice fo the puzzle.

Not Andrew Luck but big time arm. He is planning on going to summer school and working out with his new teammates to get an early start. He plans to redshirt, learn from Bradley and the other Sioux QB's and play when coaches think he is ready. He is very coachable and will be a great teammate.

Nice articles coming out of LA. Many comments form his Titan players and Titan family similar to what we hear from his Fighting Sioux family. Google Gene Murphy for articles. The list of coaches who played or coached under Gene Murphy is impressive. Army head coach Rich Ellerson, Northwestern Asst Jerry Brown, Jim Chaney former Purdue Asst, Rob Bollinger, Dale Lennon, Roger Thomas, and Pat Behrns of UND and UNO. Raiders former head coach Tom Cable, present Raiders coach Hue Jackson, former 49ers and Lions head coach Stever Mariucci. 49ers asst. Ed Donatell, former Titans asst. the late Mike Heimerdinger (wonder what nickname Murph had for him).

I received word this afternoon that former UND player and coach gene Murphy passed away today Oct. 29.. He was 72. He had been hospitalized at the USC hospital after surgery Tuesday for esophogeal cancer. I was told the surgery went well but he died of a heart attack. The name Murphy of Ira Murphy was for Gene Murphy. He was from New Jersey and grew up a St. Louis Cardinals fan. His hero was Stan Musial. He spent his first year playing for the Gopher freshman before transferring to UND. He played Quarterback and as a player and later head coach for the Sioux he never lost to the AC. I don't believe I ever heard him call them anything else. They were and always will be the AC. He was an assistant coach under Jerry Olson and was the offensive coordinator during the 1970's when UND won 4 conference titles and the Camelia Bowl between 1970-75. Before serving as UND's head coach for two years. He turned around the program that had struggled for a couple of years and led the Sioux to another conference title and the playoffs. He then took the head coaching job a Fullerton State and led them to a conference championship, bowl games and national rankings. His Fullerton years are documented in a nice story about Murph in the Orange County Register of Oct. 29. I couldn't figure out how to cut and paste. Gene Murphy was the best recruiter in the history of UND athletics. He was a loyal UND fan in all sports. When Gino Gasparini was a the surprise hire for the head hockey job in the late 1970's and was getting harrassed by fans and the media for being picked over Ned Harkness, Gene Murphy stood by him. Back then there were no hockey fans, FB fans, BB fans. We were all UND Fighting Sioux fans. We had an annual "tri-jock" party with FB, hocky and BB players. Athletes from different sports and different teams hung out together. We also were not isolated from our fans and the the other students we lived in the dorms or apartments or fraternity houses with. Gene Murphy and his love for UND and UND athletics fostered that attitude maybe more than anyone else. His Irish wit and charm were legend. His exploits as a student among the co-eds are still told over cold beers. When he recruited, he recruited the Mom's first and there were very few Moms who didn't have a crush on Murph. When Gary Pietrozewski (sp?) was thinking of going to the AC and his Mom liked the idea of Fargo being closer than GF to drive to games, Murph convinced his Mom they were building a new interstate between the Twin Cities and GF that would make it a shorter trip. Petro came to UND. Murph brought Dale Lennon and Rob Bollinger and Roger Thomas to UND. He was introduced and admired by players and coaches at UND over the years who have had the opportunity to meet him and hear of his love for UND. His players have a record of success after football that is also remarkable. Steve Mariucci coached under Murph. Hue Jackson and Cable of the Raiders coached under Murph. Whenever there was a former Sioux player in need Murph would make sure one of us was aware and the Fighting Sioux family would respond. Those Fighting Sioux didn't have to be athletes. If they were Fighting Sioux fans Alumni, students, it didn't matter. Gene Murphy had their back. When one of his former players was signed as the back-up punter to my son-in-law Mat McBriar of the Cowboys Murph contacted me to let me know how much McBriar had helped his former player. Gene Murphy and those who coached, played hockey, volleyball, bb, swam, ran track or were students or faculty and were like Murph are the real tradition and spirit of the UND Fighting Sioux. That is why the Spirit of UND and the Fighting Sioux will live forever with or without a logo or a name on a jersey. He is survived by sons Tim and Mike, daughter Aileen and her mother Christine McCarthy. I hope Tom Clifford met him at the gates of heaven with a pint of God's best Irish lager and a pinch of Skoal or Copenhagen and a reservation on heaven's handball courts for the two of them..

Mollberg threw for 419 yds and 3 td's in 41-22 loss to undefeated Hermantown. Brian Labatt caught 7 for 139 yds and a td. Lakers couldn't stop Hawks ground game.

Mollberg hasn't had injury problems before this year. I have not heard LaBatt committed yet.

The coaches from the AC were here earlier this year watching him. For some reason they aren't keeping me informed of their intentions. I would think all area D2 schools would be after him. i believe UND is first to offer. He would be great LB or H-back or slot. Great verticle jumping ability. Has good speed. Yards per carry and per reception are outstanding. He and Mollberg are excellent HS BB players.

Coach Mussman was informed by Mollberg tonight that he will not be attending Iowa and will be attending UND. Looks like early commitments are starting to come in. Other DL kid offered is Labatt. He is 6' 3", 210 lbs. Has played QB (when Mollberg was hurt), slotback, tight end, safety, DE and LB. Has 53 carries for 448 yds and 1 TD, 17 receptions for 378 yds and 6 TD's, and 1 int returned for a TD. 4.0 student. ACT around 30. Reported to be leaning to UND. Would be great to get another early commitment.

Well then, next time have a Concordia grad or MSUM grad read it to you. I forgot you guys are a little slow.

Who knows. If he were the QB I would change our offense to utilize his athletic ability. Might need some sort of run option game. I am not sure he throws that consistently but I might agree... give him a shot if Bradley doesn't ge things turned around.

You certainly have a good points but I still like the fact that we opened things up and created some opportunities for success. I think the plan was we would run the ball but its tough to pass up gains of 15 to 30 yds per play when they were that open. The coaches have been criticized time and again for not opening things up. The plays called were good and if Bradley plays like he had so for this year, they work. Bradley had avoided getting us in trouble before today.

Perham QB is only a junior. UND will recruit him. He isn't the QB Mollberg is, but he is a great athlete and excellent HS QB. Mollberg is a better passer and it is hard to compare the two. When Perham beat DL, the biggest difference was Jason Hein the Perham QB and the 4 DL turnovers, but Mollberg played hurt and still almost led them to a win. I would take them both but Mollberg would be the QB. Jesse Hein is a Sr. Lineman for Perham is the QB's older brother and UND is looking at him.. He is only 5"11" but has quick feet and is about 265 lbs, All State Wrestler and is tough and nasty. I would take a chance on him because I think he can play and that will increase the chance his brother will go to UND.

The game certainly wasn't lost by the "play calling". In fact the play calling showed good preparation against a team that is excellent against the run and expected us to run. The plays called were good and put our kids in a position to be successful, we just didn't execute. Even the call on first and goal on the one yd line was an easy pitch and catch if we execute. Kids just didn't execute. I think opening it up early forced them to respect what we should have been able to do passing and and they weren't able to stack the box against the run. O-line did a good job. I don't think we were sacked and QB's had time. Defense did well except for the two TD passes to wide open receivers. Keys to game were the poor QB play especially in the first half, Cal Poly's 2 TD's to wide open receivers, personal foul by CB that took them from 2nd and 11 around midfield to 1st and 10 inside our territory. ( Kids need to play disciplined) and dropped pass by Hardin that may have been a TD. Good game plan, kids played hard, just didn't execute. We are getting very close to where we need to be. Need to keep getting better bigger and faster each year. I was very disappointed in crowd. 9900 for homecoming against a very good team for conference lead is not acceptable. Student crowd was better but also not great. Many students left a halftime again. Crowd wasn't a factor like it can be in the Alerus. Cal Poly had only one false start due to crowd noise.