Devin Murphy out after difficult year on defensive side of the ball
The Gee-Gees football team has parted ways with its former Defensive Coordinator Devin Murphy. His contract with the team came up at the end of the football season, and the coaching staff and university and decided not to renew it.
Murphy is an alumnus of the U of O football team, having suited up for the Gees from 2001-2005 as a defensive back. He got his first break into coaching with the Garnet and Grey just one year after graduation, before going on to have significant success at St. Mary’s in Halifax.
Murphy was hired in 2013, however, after an abysmal year on the defensive side of the ball, the Gees are looking for a change in the upcoming season.
The team allowed 41.4 points-per-game in 2015, and 505 yards of offence on average.
The Gee-Gees have released a job posting, which specifies that the “position requires CIS and/or CFL experience,” a requirement that significantly narrows down possible suitors.
If the team were to look internally, they could look to promote Special Teams Coordinator and Defensive Backs coach Steven Watts.
Watts is also a Gee-Gees football alumnus and worked under Murphy at St. Mary’s. Watts acts as the team’s coordinator of community development, so it may seem his history and existent roots with the team give him a leg up on competition.
If the team were to seek external expertise, they may look to the coaching staff of teams like Western, Guelph, and McMaster as their coaches have dealt with high level players on winning teams. The posting states that “bilingualism is an asset,” which may appeal to the Quebec market in which the Gee-Gees are typically successful in recruiting.
With spring meetings and training camps only a handful of months away, the decision is may be made soon. However, Sports Services did not specify when the final decision would be made.
