Holy Cross names Murphy OC

By rbrown
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Updated: March 16, 2018

WORCESTER, Mass. – The Holy Cross football program has named former St. Anselm College head coach Patrick Murphy its offensive coordinator. Murphy has more than two decades of coaching experience, and joins the Crusaders after spending the last two seasons at Tufts University.

During his time at Tufts, Murphy served as the run game coordinator in addition to coaching the running backs and slot receivers. During the 2016 season, the Jumbos’ offense averaged 31.5 points per game and led the New England Small College Athletic Conference with 239.3 rushing yards per contest and 25 rushing touchdowns.

Prior to his time at Tufts, Murphy was the head coach at St. Anselm College from 2008-2015, where he also served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He earned Northeast-10 Conference Co-Coach of the Year honors in 2014, after leading the Hawks to a school-record six victories and their first winning mark (6-5) since the program was revived in 1999. Murphy’s offenses set school single-season records with 2,212 rushing yards in 2008, 3,431 passing yards in 2013 and 326 points scored in 2013.

During his time at St. Anselm, Murphy coached 30 All-Northeast-10 selections, three Northeast-10 Rookies of the Year and two All-Americans. Additionally, Justin Bernard became the all-time NCAA Division II receptions leader and Marc Wilson, another record-setting wide receiver, signed a free-agent contract with the Arizona Cardinals.

Murphy previously served on the coaching staff at Harvard University in 2003, working with the defensive ends. He also spent time as the outside linebackers coach at Bryant University, and was on the staff at the University of Massachusetts Lowell for five years from 1996-2000. He began as the secondary coach for the River Hawks, before being promoted to associate head coach and defensive coordinator.

In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, Murphy spent four seasons as the head coach at Dracut (Mass.) High School from 2004-2007. As the head coach at Dracut, Murphy directed the Middies to the school’s first league championship in nearly 20 years and was honored as the 2005 Lowell Sun Coach of the Year.

A 1996 graduate of Northeastern University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, Murphy played football for the Huskies as a fullback, tight end and linebacker.

The Crusaders are currently taking part in spring practice, with the spring game scheduled for April 14.