Career
He served as the head football coach at Middle Tennessee State University from 1947 to 1968, compiling a record of 155–63–8. Murphy was also the head basketball coach at Middle Tennessee State for one season in 1948-1949 and the head baseball coach at the school in 1951 and from 1953 to 1955. The Murphy Center, an athletic facility at Middle Tennessee State, was named in his honor when it was completed in 1972.
