Mark Murphy

Classroom

•  Mark Murphy, an informatics major with an impeccable 3.91 grade point average, became the ninth Hoosier all-time to earn Capital One Academic All-America honors (first team) last season. Murphy received Indiana’s 2013 Jack D. Tichenor Award, presented annually to the male IU student-athlete across all sports with the highest GPA, and football’s 2013 Scholastic Achievement Award.

•  He is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and is fully expected to earn the recognition for a third time in as many eligible years this fall. In both 2012 and 2013, Murphy was a member of the Capital One Academic All-District V team and he received the Hoosiers Football Academic Excellence Award as a sophomore.

Character

•  Murphy is held in the highest regards by his teammates and coaches, as he was a captain this spring and is one of the football program’s 12 command leaders for the second consecutive year.

•  He is one the most active student-athletes in the community across the entire IU Department of Athletics and is one of the top student-athletes in the classroom as well.

•  In addition to the Senior CLASS Award, Murphy is also the team’s candidate for the 2014 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®.

Community

•  Boys & Girls Club - For the past three seasons, Murphy and the team have hosted members of the Bloomington Boys & Girls Club at Memorial Stadium. Eight activity stations are set up around the stadium, as youngsters and players alike take part in the tug of war, a football hand-off relay, a tackling station, a football equipment relay, an end zone celebration station, a home run derby, the sponge toss and a kicking station. After the event, kids get autographs from the team in addition to taking photos.

•  Jill’s House - The Indiana football team has spent time with and lifted the spirits of patients at the Bloomington Jill’s House. Patients have also stopped by several IU practices the last two years. Jill’s House provides affordable, temporary housing in a home-like environment for caregivers and patients receiving medical treatment for physical illnesses at area health care facilities.

•  Read Across America - Murphy and his teammates have visited local schools in the Bloomington community and participated in Read Across America.

•  Hoosiers Outrun Cancer - Murphy has served as a volunteer at the event, which benefits the IU Health Olcott Center. The Olcott Center provides patients and their families with information on cancer diagnosis, treatment, early detection and prevention – all free of charge thanks in large part to Hoosiers Outrun Cancer and the amazing runners, walkers and volunteers who support the race.

•  Fellowship of Christian Athletes - The entire football program has worked hand in hand with the Indiana University of the Fellowship.

Competition

•  Safety Mark Murphy is Indiana’s active leader with 230 tackles and 144 solo stops in his career.
•  The three-year starter appeared in all 12 games (11 starts) and finsihed second on the team with 84 tackles one season ago.
•  Murphy posted 51 solo stops with his first career forced fumble, one interception and a half-tackle for loss, and he led IU in tackles in Big Ten play (62).
•  He also leads the Hoosiers with eight career double-digit tackle games, with a career-high of 13 (twice).
•  Murphy finished fourth on the team with 70 stops, third with 49 solos and started 11 games in 2012.
•  The Akron, Ohio, native played in all 12 games in 2011 and started three times at weak-side linebacker and the final six at safety.
•  Murphy earned a spot on the Yahoo Sports, BTN.com and ESPN.com Big Ten All-Freshman teams in 2011. He led all Big Ten true freshmen with 76 tackles, the most for a Hoosier true freshman since 2003.
•  He intercepted his first pass and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown at North Texas, becoming the first true freshman since Tracy Porter (2004) to do so.
•  Murphy’s father, Mark, played safety for the Green Bay Packers from 1980-91 and was enshrined into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1998.