Indiana University Athletics
Murphy Makes the Most of Being ‘The Guy’
9/22/2022 9:37:00 AM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Tears flow because Caleb Murphy cares. He bleeds Cream & Crimson. He believes in Indiana's football program, in head coach Tom Allen, offensive line coach Darren Hiller, offensive coordinator Walt Bell, and in his Hoosier teammates.
You win with guys like that, and if they shed a tear along the way, more power to them.
"It means so much to him to be part of this team," Allen says.
Murphy is a third-string center turned starter after injuries to Zach Carpenter and Cameron Knight. He is a model for rising to the challenge and making the most of an opportunity, even when no one saw it coming.
It happened last Saturday against Western Kentucky. It might happen again this Saturday, when the Hoosiers (3-0) play at Cincinnati (2-1) in their non-conference finale.
For those seeking a deeper meaner, quarterback Connor Bazelak delivers.
"You've got to show up in practice, be focused in meetings," he says. "You never know what could happen and you'll be the guy."
Murphy was that guy against Western Kentucky. Minutes before kickoff, he learned that Carpenter was out and he would start. He played beyond his experience, and Bazelak says, "I'm super proud of him."
Murphy is an emotional player in an emotional game with an opportunity no one expected, certainly not this season. He was a special teams player with few offensive line snaps.
Last Saturday, he got 90 snaps, and helped the Hoosiers total 484 yards and 33 points. Coaches voted him the team's offensive player of the game.
"If you talk to anybody on our staff," Allen says, "it was unanimous that he would be the player of the game. Everybody loves him. You can't question his passion for this program and his love for this university.
"It's neat to see guys like that be rewarded for their perseverance. I wasn't surprised that he played so well because he's going to give you everything he's got, for 60 minutes and beyond."
Allen used Murphy as an example to the team about working and preparing as if you are a starter.
"That's what you get ready to do," Allen says. "Just a few weeks ago, (Murphy) was thrown in the depth chart and now he's playing every snap and special teams because he's part of those, as well.
"It's a great testament to him, how hard he's worked and how much he cares. You can win a lot of games with guys that are smart, tough and dependable, and have a high care factor. It means something for him to put that (Indiana) jersey on and represent his whole community. That's a pretty awesome thing."
Murphy is not a physical superstar. He won't overwhelm with size, speed, and athleticism. He is listed at 6-4 and 292 pounds, which makes him among the team's smallest offensive linemen. He's a converted defensive linemen moved to tight end and now center.
But heart, passion, and determination give you a chance.
Bazelak says Murphy vowed to protect him "with his life" after learning that he'd start, and did just that.
"It's an example that if you're not starting 10 minutes before the game, who knows what could happen," Bazelak says.
Murphy spent his first Indiana season in 2020 as a scout team player. He was special teams scout player of the week for the Wisconsin game. Last season, he played in 11 games, mostly on special teams. He earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.
"We started him out on defense," Allen says, "and that's probably where he would have preferred to play. But he was like, 'Coach, I'll play wherever, whatever you want me to do.' He's that kind of guy."
IU coaches saw Murphy as a good athlete well suited to center.
"He's the tough, smart, dependable guy that position demands," Allen says. "It really fits his personality."
Murphy was not an elite recruit coming out of West Washington High School, a Class A program in the small town of Campbellsburg in southeastern Indiana. He was rated as the state's No. 6 prospect.
An opening-game injury sidelined him for his senior season. As a junior, he earned all-state recognition on defense by totaling 84 tackles, 11 for loss.
Murphy loved to compete, and that extended to wrestling (he helped start the West Washington program), which will always get Allen's attention because Allen is a former high school and college wrestler as well as football player.
Allen first saw Murphy at a summer camp. He liked his potential, but wasn't ready to offer a scholarship, and wasn't sure what position Murphy would play.
"He was a guy that we had to project positionally," Allen says. "It's a little bit of a tougher evaluation as a guy on the line playing at that size of a school. Sometimes it's hard to tell where he's at.
"But he came to camp, and we liked what we saw. That planted the seeds."
Allen met with Murphy and his family, and more seeds were planted. Murphy got emotional talking about how much he wanted to play at IU. Allen was impressed, but didn't offer a scholarship.
Allen and his staff talked to Murphy's high school coaches and others in the Campbellsburg area. They looked at film. They saw him at another camp in the Chicago area.
"I knew he's what we're looking for -- the passion, toughness, and fight," Allen says. "He had those internal qualities of character and discipline and high-care factor."
Finally, Allen offered, and Murphy accepted.
"It was more of a gut feel that he's our kind of guy," Allen says.
Meanwhile, Carpenter's return to the lineup remains uncertain.
"It's not season ending," Allen says about the injury, "but it's something we have to deal with."
That Carpenter hurt his hand during warmups remains puzzling.
"(The injury) was not expected," Allen says. "Very freaky. I've never had this happen before in my 30 years (of coaching). He just did the same thing we always do.
"It happened, and that's why you've got depth and why you develop guys."
You win with guys like that, and if they shed a tear along the way, more power to them.
"It means so much to him to be part of this team," Allen says.
Murphy is a third-string center turned starter after injuries to Zach Carpenter and Cameron Knight. He is a model for rising to the challenge and making the most of an opportunity, even when no one saw it coming.
It happened last Saturday against Western Kentucky. It might happen again this Saturday, when the Hoosiers (3-0) play at Cincinnati (2-1) in their non-conference finale.
For those seeking a deeper meaner, quarterback Connor Bazelak delivers.
"You've got to show up in practice, be focused in meetings," he says. "You never know what could happen and you'll be the guy."
Murphy was that guy against Western Kentucky. Minutes before kickoff, he learned that Carpenter was out and he would start. He played beyond his experience, and Bazelak says, "I'm super proud of him."
Murphy is an emotional player in an emotional game with an opportunity no one expected, certainly not this season. He was a special teams player with few offensive line snaps.
Last Saturday, he got 90 snaps, and helped the Hoosiers total 484 yards and 33 points. Coaches voted him the team's offensive player of the game.
"If you talk to anybody on our staff," Allen says, "it was unanimous that he would be the player of the game. Everybody loves him. You can't question his passion for this program and his love for this university.
"It's neat to see guys like that be rewarded for their perseverance. I wasn't surprised that he played so well because he's going to give you everything he's got, for 60 minutes and beyond."
Allen used Murphy as an example to the team about working and preparing as if you are a starter.
"That's what you get ready to do," Allen says. "Just a few weeks ago, (Murphy) was thrown in the depth chart and now he's playing every snap and special teams because he's part of those, as well.
"It's a great testament to him, how hard he's worked and how much he cares. You can win a lot of games with guys that are smart, tough and dependable, and have a high care factor. It means something for him to put that (Indiana) jersey on and represent his whole community. That's a pretty awesome thing."
Murphy is not a physical superstar. He won't overwhelm with size, speed, and athleticism. He is listed at 6-4 and 292 pounds, which makes him among the team's smallest offensive linemen. He's a converted defensive linemen moved to tight end and now center.
But heart, passion, and determination give you a chance.
Bazelak says Murphy vowed to protect him "with his life" after learning that he'd start, and did just that.
"It's an example that if you're not starting 10 minutes before the game, who knows what could happen," Bazelak says.
Murphy spent his first Indiana season in 2020 as a scout team player. He was special teams scout player of the week for the Wisconsin game. Last season, he played in 11 games, mostly on special teams. He earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.
"We started him out on defense," Allen says, "and that's probably where he would have preferred to play. But he was like, 'Coach, I'll play wherever, whatever you want me to do.' He's that kind of guy."
IU coaches saw Murphy as a good athlete well suited to center.
"He's the tough, smart, dependable guy that position demands," Allen says. "It really fits his personality."
Murphy was not an elite recruit coming out of West Washington High School, a Class A program in the small town of Campbellsburg in southeastern Indiana. He was rated as the state's No. 6 prospect.
An opening-game injury sidelined him for his senior season. As a junior, he earned all-state recognition on defense by totaling 84 tackles, 11 for loss.
Murphy loved to compete, and that extended to wrestling (he helped start the West Washington program), which will always get Allen's attention because Allen is a former high school and college wrestler as well as football player.
Allen first saw Murphy at a summer camp. He liked his potential, but wasn't ready to offer a scholarship, and wasn't sure what position Murphy would play.
"He was a guy that we had to project positionally," Allen says. "It's a little bit of a tougher evaluation as a guy on the line playing at that size of a school. Sometimes it's hard to tell where he's at.
"But he came to camp, and we liked what we saw. That planted the seeds."
Allen met with Murphy and his family, and more seeds were planted. Murphy got emotional talking about how much he wanted to play at IU. Allen was impressed, but didn't offer a scholarship.
Allen and his staff talked to Murphy's high school coaches and others in the Campbellsburg area. They looked at film. They saw him at another camp in the Chicago area.
"I knew he's what we're looking for -- the passion, toughness, and fight," Allen says. "He had those internal qualities of character and discipline and high-care factor."
Finally, Allen offered, and Murphy accepted.
"It was more of a gut feel that he's our kind of guy," Allen says.
Meanwhile, Carpenter's return to the lineup remains uncertain.
"It's not season ending," Allen says about the injury, "but it's something we have to deal with."
That Carpenter hurt his hand during warmups remains puzzling.
"(The injury) was not expected," Allen says. "Very freaky. I've never had this happen before in my 30 years (of coaching). He just did the same thing we always do.
"It happened, and that's why you've got depth and why you develop guys."
Players Mentioned
QB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
DL
/ FootballFB: Curt Cignetti Media Availability (10/20/25)
Monday, October 20
FB: Elijah Sarratt - MSU Postgame Press Conference (10/18/25)
Saturday, October 18
FB: Fernando Mendoza - MSU Postgame Press Conference (10/18/25)
Saturday, October 18
FB: Omar Cooper Jr. - MSU Postgame Press Conference (10/18/25)
Saturday, October 18