DeMarco Murray planned to continue broadcasting for another four or five years. Then Kevin Sumlin called, and Murray鈥檚 post-NFL career path changed.
蜜柚直播 had an opening for a running backs coach. Murray had no prior coaching experience. But he had plenty of running back experience, having played as recently as 2017.
Murray also had a connection to Sumlin, who helped recruit him to Oklahoma in the mid-2000s.
鈥淚f anybody else would have called me, I probably wouldn鈥檛 have taken the job,鈥 Murray said. 鈥淜nowing Coach Sumlin, knowing what he鈥檚 about, the kind of man he is, that was one of the main reasons.鈥
Murray decided to leave his post as a college football analyst for Fox Sports and instantly became the Wildcats鈥 most high-profile assistant coach. In addition to tutoring 蜜柚直播鈥檚 running backs, the 2014 AP Offensive Player of the Year also is working closely with the return men during spring practice.
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Murray met with the 蜜柚直播 media for the first time earlier this week. He discussed his relationship with Sumlin, recruiting, his coaching philosophy and working with J.J. Taylor, among other topics. Portions of the conversation have been lightly edited for context and clarity.
What do you remember about Coach Sumlin when he was recruiting you?
A: 鈥淗e鈥檚 just the same guy he is today. He鈥檚 not a screamer. He鈥檚 not a yeller. Extremely smart and sharp when it comes to X鈥檚 and O鈥檚. He鈥檚 a people person and a players鈥 coach. Just remembering the time we had in Norman, the two years he was there, everybody loved him. I know the receivers, Juaquin Iglesias, Malcolm Kelly, those guys loved him and played extremely hard for him.
Did he recruit you all over again?
A: 鈥淗e did. He鈥檚 good at it. But he didn鈥檛 have to do too much recruiting because this is a place where I wanted to be. It鈥檚 a family atmosphere here. Offensively, having the chance to work with Coach (Noel) Mazzone and the rest of the group, it鈥檚 pretty special.鈥
You were already a successful broadcaster. Why not continue down that path?
A: 鈥淭hat was the plan, and get into coaching at 34, 35, later down the road. (Murray turned 31 in February.) But this was an opportunity I felt would benefit me individually, and collectively as a team. I knew I could come in and help the guys. It was something I wanted to do.鈥
Did you miss the competitive element of being part of a team?
A: 鈥淚 did. 鈥 Having this opportunity to really dive into the film, dive into players individually and collectively and sit back and learn, from the passing game to the protection game, it鈥檚 been an awesome experience thus far. I鈥檓 extremely excited to be on this team and hopefully help us win.鈥
What鈥檚 it like to be back on campus?
A: 鈥淚鈥檓 originally from Vegas, so I鈥檓 used to the heat. I spent a little time down here doing 7-on-7 tournaments back in the day when I was at Bishop Gorman High School. It鈥檚 great. It鈥檚 a beautiful campus. I鈥檓 extremely excited to be here.鈥
What鈥檚 your message to recruits?
A: 鈥淚f you want to play for the right guy, play with a winning attitude and for a winning person, that鈥檚 Coach Sumlin. You look at what he鈥檚 done at Houston, look at what he鈥檚 done at A&M. Last year he got into it kind of late. He鈥檚 starting to build the right pieces, the right kind of players and coaching staff that he wants to take us to the next level.鈥
How much has the recruiting process changed since you went through it?
A: 鈥淎 lot. I鈥檓 still learning the rules every single day. I gotta check in with our guys and make sure I鈥檓 not doing anything illegal.
鈥淚t鈥檚 changed a lot with the whole social-media aspect. I find myself on it quite a bit just to relate to the kids a little. You鈥檝e gotta move on with the times. You鈥檝e gotta be able to adapt.鈥
How would you describe your coaching style?
A: 鈥淚 would say I鈥檓 laid-back until I鈥檓 not, until they make a mistake or do something they shouldn鈥檛. I鈥檓 not a big yeller. I鈥檓 not a big screamer. For me, it鈥檚 about teaching them the right thing, teaching them the right mechanics of the game. Making sure they鈥檙e taking what we learn in the classroom and doing it on the field. Some guys learn better on film; some guys learn better with reps. I try to find out who鈥檚 good at what.鈥
What鈥檚 the main message you try to convey to your running backs?
A: 鈥淛ust compete. The game can be taken away so (quickly). I want my guys to work hard, play hard and compete at a high level individually and collectively. I want a guy who鈥檚 going to be able to do all three things: running the ball, obviously; catching; and blocking, protecting the quarterback. The kind of guy who wants to do it all and doesn鈥檛 want to come off the field.鈥
What鈥檚 your assessment of J.J. Taylor?
A: 鈥淗e鈥檚 different. He鈥檚 a smaller guy, but he runs with a full load. He鈥檚 a true competitor. We鈥檙e not forcing him in there, trying not to get him beat up. Most running backs would say, 鈥楢ll right, I鈥檓 good with that.鈥 But 鈥 he wants to be in there. He wants to compete at a high level. He鈥檚 an intelligent young man (who) has a bright future. He鈥檚 leading the team the right way.鈥
J.J. had a fumbling issue last year. How have you approached that with him?
A: 鈥淎s a running back, I鈥檝e dealt with that. In 2014, I think I had a fumble in my first five or six games. It鈥檚 something I teach during ball-security (drills). After that, I won鈥檛 harp on it. I don鈥檛 want that embedded in his head. I want him to be able to just go out there and run. I don鈥檛 want him thinking about ball security while he鈥檚 actually playing.
鈥淲e work on it every single day. It鈥檚 something that鈥檚 extremely important. Protecting the ball and protecting the quarterback. Those are our two deals.鈥
What are you seeing from the rest of the RB group?
A: 鈥淲hen I took the job, the one message that I got from all the staff was how great my room is. They鈥檙e tremendous workers. They give great effort at all times.
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e a running back, it鈥檚 not like at receiver, where you have three or four guys out there at a time. You have one guy at a time. They鈥檙e all selfless guys. They鈥檙e all pulling for each other. That鈥檚 the rooms I鈥檝e always been a part of. Close rooms. It鈥檚 great that I have one here.鈥