Indiana University Athletics
Murphy Named A Bobby Bowden Award Finalist
1/5/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana senior safety Mark Murphy is one of three finalists for the Seminole Tribe of Florida Bobby Bowden Award. Murphy is joined by Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty and Mississippi defensive lineman D.T. Shackleford.
The award will be presented by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at the College Championship breakfast on Sunday, Jan. 11. The breakfast will be held at the Hyatt Regency Dallas at 8 a.m.
Murphy earned a spot on the Capital One Academic All-America® Division I football first team for the second straight season. He became the third Hoosier to collect the honor twice - Will Meyers (2005-06) and John Hammerstein (1994-95).
One of 17 National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athletes and a finalist for the 2014 William V. Campbell Trophy, Murphy was one of 30 finalists for the Senior CLASS Award and was a candidate for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® and the Wuerffel Trophy.
Murphy finished his career with 279 tackles, 174 solo, seven for loss, four interceptions, two INT touchdown returns, one sack, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and nine pass breakups.
In 11 starts in 2014, he made 49 tackles, 2.5 for loss, with two interceptions, including one score. A four-time game captain, Murphy was named IU's Defensive Player of the Week following the team's win over No. 18 Missouri and against Penn State.
The Bobby Bowden award recognizes the Football Bowl Subdivision player who epitomizes a student-athlete. He must conduct himself as an exemplary model in the classroom, on the field, on the campus and in the community.
The award is named after former Florida State University head football coach Bobby Bowden. It was conceived by Vince Gibson, a former Bowden assistant at South Georgia College who went on to become head coach at Kansas State, Louisville and Tulane before he passed away in 2012 from Lou Gehrig's disease; and Vernon Brinson, one of Bowden's former players at South Georgia College in the 1950s.
