Colleges

UF's Murphy makes mark

The wide receiver from St. Petersburg moves past challenges.

By ANTONYA ENGLISH, Times Staff Writer
Published November 11, 2007

COLUMBIA, S.C. - It has taken a little longer than he had hoped, but Florida junior receiver Louis Murphy is finally playing like he always believed in his heart he could.

Through the course of the season, Murphy has emerged as one of the Gators' best deep-threat receivers. Entering Saturday night's game against South Carolina, Murphy is the team's second-leading receiver with 29 catches for 458 yards 15.8 average.

He's had at least three receptions in three consecutive games, and against Kentucky, had a career-long 66-yard pass and career-high 91 yards.

"Things are going a lot better for me this year," Murphy said. "A lot of it lately has to do with the way defenses are playing me. A lot of times they focus on (Percy Harvin) and Bubba (Andre Caldwell). We have so many weapons, they can't focus on all of us, and when they key on them, that sometimes leaves me open."

Perhaps. But Murphy's teammates and coaches say much more of the credit goes to him.

"The fact is, coverage dictates how he gets the ball a lot of times, but the fact that he is one of the main guys in the rotation is all about his work ethic and how he's bought into the program over the last three years," offensive coordinator Dan Mullen said. "He's worked himself into that position. He's a guy, like a lot of guys, he came out of high school and had a lot of success in high school and he didn't know exactly how much it was going to take to become a receiver in the SEC. But what he did, after a little while of battling through it, he bought into the system.

"I think what we're seeing now is his improvement through the offseason - his size, his strength, his route-running ability. He's one of our main guys in the rotation."

Those are words Florida coach Urban Meyer wasn't sure he'd ever hear. It hasn't been an easy three years for Murphy, the St. Petersburg native. While struggling to learn to play at the college level, Murphy has had to cope with his mother's battle with cancer and minor legal trouble.

"If I was a wagering person I would have said there is no chance he would still be here right now," Meyer said.

But at the suggestion of assistant coach Billy Gonzales, Murphy became roommates with veteran Caldwell last spring. Murphy credits that decision with changing everything for him, on and off the field.

"I just tried to mold him and show him some of the things that I know," said Caldwell, a Tampa native. "I just tried to help him learn to how to be a man and how to be a great football player (based on) what I've learned throughout my years. And he has come on big this year. A lot of people didn't expect that from him, but he worked his butt off the whole offseason and he's gotten much better. He's making plays for us every week."

"When you're playing well, it makes everything else better," Murphy said.

Meyer may not have seen this coming, but he couldn't be happier he was wrong.

"There's not a guy that I can remember in 20 years that's made such a significant turnaround," Meyer said. "You watch what happens with Louis Murphy in the next 20 years. He's going to be successful. I think he's going to play pro football some day. I know he's going to graduate. That all ties into developing trust. He is one of our go-to guys."

S. Carolina late

[Last modified November 10, 2007, 22:05:29]