RICHMOND, Va. --- Tusculum University assistant football coach Larry Murphy has been selected as a participant in the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship this summer with the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Coach Murphy will be assisting with the Redskins' minicamp next week (June 2-7).
The objective of the program, named after NFL Hall of Fame Coach Bill Walsh, is to use NFL clubs' offseason workout program, training camps and mini camps to give talented coaches opportunities to observe, participate, gain experience and ultimately gain a full-time NFL coaching position. Designed as a vocational tool to increase the number of full-time NFL minority coaches, all 32 NFL teams participate each year.
Walsh introduced the concept to the league in 1987 when he brought a group of minority coaches into his San Francisco 49ers' training camp. The program has tutored more than 2,000 minority coaches through the years and has grown to the point that now every NFL team participates.
"I am honored to be one of the few selected into the Bill Walsh Diversity Fellowship program. There is a tremendous amount of experience on the Washington Redskins coaching staff," said Murphy. "I will be all eyes and ears in meetings and practices soaking up any knowledge I can bring back to Tusculum."
Murphy joined the Tusculum football coaching staff this past March and mentors the TU defensive backs.
A native of St. Petersburg, Florida, Murphy most recently served as the cornerbacks coach at Valdosta State University where he helped the Blazers to an undefeated season (14-0) and a NCAA National title. VSU also won the Gulf South Conference crown as the Blazer secondary ranked eighth in the nation in passes intercepted and ninth in red zone defense. VSU led the nation in defensive touchdowns (7).
Murphy originally signed with Georgia Southern University and was out of football until his return to the gridiron in 2014 where he was a three-year starter at Valdosta State (2014-2016) at cornerback as he finished his career with 62 tackles, 13 passes defended, two interceptions, forced two fumbles and recovered another. He garnered 2014 USA Football All-American honors and was named to the All-Gulf South Conference team that same year.
Murphy and the Pioneers will open fall camp in August in preparation for the 2019 season which kicks off on Sep. 5 when TU travels to Cleveland, Mississippi to face Delta State University in Tusculum's season-opener.
