[3] The team went 15–7 in his two seasons, winning the North Central Conference and advancing to the Division II playoffs in 1979.
[5] His assistants included future National Football League (NFL) head coaches Steve Mariucci, Tom Cable, and Hue Jackson.
[3][5][9] Notable former players include Damon Allen, Mike Pringle, Bobby Kemp, Mark Collins, and James Thornton.
[3][9] Murphy died at age 72 in 2011 at USC Hospital in Los Angeles, four days after surgery for esophageal cancer.
[1] He was survived by his daughter Aileen, her mother Christine McCarthy, his two adult sons, Tim and Mike, and his four grandchildren.