*** Academic Honors Candidate***
2013: Murphy, who played the 2012 season at EWUand in 2008 for the now-defunct Western Washington program, wasgranted a waiver by the NCAA on Nov. 8, 2013, to play for theEagles for the remainder of the 2013 season. He was given thewaiver for personal circumstances that were not within his control.He practice for the first time on Nov. 10. In his sixth academicyear since graduating in 2008 from Ferris High School in Spokane,Wash., Murphy played the 2008 season at Western, which dropped itsprogram the following January. He stayed at Western and eventuallyreceived his degree in accounting, and is now pursuing hismaster’s degree at EWU in computer science. Murphy said heoriginally started the appeal process in the summer to get thewaiver, but an academic internship conflicted with early-seasonpractices. He said the NCAA responded quickly upon presenting hisfinal documentation, and within 24 hours was eligible again.“I wanted to progress my career outside of football, and Ihad time constraints with the internship that wouldn’t allowme to play,” Murphy said. “But when the injuriesstarting occurring, the coaches and I started joking about myeligibility and I completed the appeal.”
2012: Despite missing two games with a brokenthumb that required surgery and one with a concussion, he played in11 games as a backup safety and had 13 tackles and a pair ofinterceptions. One of his picks was against Southern Utah(10/27/12) when he was playing with a heavily-padded cast. In fourspring scrimmages, he had 12 tackles. He attended EWU for the firsttime in January 2012.
Western Washington: Played the 2008 season atWestern Washington in Bellingham, Wash., before the schoolannounced it was dropping football on Jan. 9, 2009. He remained inschool at Western through December 2011. He played in seven gamesas a true freshman, finishing with four tackles.
HS: Graduated from Ferris HS in 2008. Was afirst team Associated Press All-State selection as a senior, andalso earned second team All-State honors from the SeattleTimes. He was the Greater Spokane League Defensive MVP and wasselected to play in East-West All-Star Game. He was credited with120 tackles and intercepted three passes as a senior, and also had764 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns as running back. In addition,he caught three passes for 58 yards and a touchdown. He was teamcaptain on a Saxons squad that finished 12-1, won the GSL title andreached the semifinals of the State 4A Playoffs. As a junior, hewas a first team All-GSL selection on team that advanced to thefirst round of the State 4A Playoffs. Earned most inspirational,captain and best defensive back awards. He was second teamall-league as sophomore, as he started and lettered three years atFerris. He also earned two letters in baseball and one in track andfield. He was second team All-GSL in baseball as a senior. FormerEagle teammate Jeff Minnerly (’08) and current teammateJordan Tonani (’11) also attended Ferris.
Personal: Born 10/20/89 in Spokane, Wash.Turned 24 the day after EWU played Southern Utah on Oct. 19, 2013.Son of Dan Murphy and Marchand Bozarth. His father played baseballat Gonzaga, but his mother, uncle and grandmother all attendedEastern, thus making him a third-generation EWU student from hisfamily.
