Arizona's Sumlin has high praise for OU's Murray hire
DeMarco Murray is leaving Arizona to join the Oklahoma Sooners as running back coach for Lincoln Riley. Arizona head coach Kevin Sumlin confirmed the news to SoonerScoop late Sunday evening.
“Yes,” Sumlin said in a text message Sunday evening when asked if Murray was Oklahoma bound.
Murray, a 3-time Pro Bowl selection in the NFL, rushed for 3,685 yards during his Oklahoma career which ranks 7th all time in OU history. His 50 rushing touchdowns ranks 3rd all time in OU history.
Murray turned down a potential lucrative broadcasting career to enter the coaching profession when Sumlin offered him a job at Arizona as running backs coach before the 2019 season.
The Arizona head coach had known Murray since his days at Bishop Gorman High School when he was just a junior.
Sumlin said Murray’s decision to return to Oklahoma was a difficult one.
“It was hard for him to tell me,” said an emotional Sumlin. “I’ve known him since he was 17 years old. He didn’t even want to look at me. It was a really tough deal. He's hurting right now leaving Arizona."
Sumlin said he and Murray made some impressive recruiting inroads with the Wildcats.
According to the Rivals database, the Wildcats and Murray had secured a commitment from Texas top 100 running back Frank Brown out of Texas.
And according to Sumlin, Murray’s NFL experience and offensive knowledge could make him a fast riser in college football.
“He's a great hire. He's the real deal,” said Sumlin. “The only problem is I think he could be in Tennessee or L.A. in a year or two (coaching in the NFL). He's that bright of a young coaching mind. And I don't mean as just a running backs coach.”
Lincoln Riley has preached NFL readiness to recruits with his social media campaigns since taking over at Oklahoma. Now he has one of the most decorated Sooners in recent history on his staff.
One thing Riley hasn’t had since arriving in Norman is a myriad of branches off his offensive tree. It appears Murray is a prime candidate to marry Riley’s innovative offensive coaching reputation with a proven NFL performer.
This is no longer social media marketing.
Riley now has a legitimate NFL star at his disposal.
Murray gives the Sooners a wealth of prominence and experience as a running backs coach. And according to Sumlin, a willing asset to take this offense to another level on the chalk board and the recruiting trail.
With Murray in tow, Riley can now focus his full energy on replacing outside linebackers coach and assistant head coach Ruffin McNeill before the start of spring football.