Coach Murphy Won’t Seek U. Delaware Job

Once again forced to quell rumors of his possible departure, Harvard football coach Tim Murphy told The Crimson yesterday he has no interest in assuming the vacant head coaching position at the University of Delaware.

Murphy, whose 2001 Ivy League championship squad finished 9-0, said that his loyalties to Harvard were too strong to consider accepting the Delaware position that became available following the retirement of Tubby Raymond earlier this month.

“I am very happy here,” Murphy said, “and I really don’t have any interest in leaving Harvard.”

Murphy’s decision to stay was greeted warmly by his players, who hope to continue last season’s success in 2002.

“We’ve been successful with Coach Murphy,” said tailback Nick A. Palazzo ’03. “I don’t want to say it would be impossible [to be as successful] if he left, but it would be really hard to start from scratch.”

Talk of Murphy’s possible departure began with an article in yesterday’s Delaware News Journal that reported Murphy had interviewed for the position. The article quoted Delaware junior cornerback Ricardo Walker, who told the News Journal, “Some people are saying [Murphy] might have been hired already.”

However, Murphy said the rumors were just a byproduct of the success he has had at Harvard.

“When you have success, it’s the nature of this business that there are going to be rumors,” Murphy said. “The bottom line is, I am happy at Harvard.”

It was the second time this off-season that an open head coaching position led to speculation about Murphy’s possible departure. Murphy was considered a top candidate for the Navy position before withdrawing himself from consideration in early December.

In an e-mail, University of Delaware President David P. Roselle would not specify if Murphy was the leading candidate, saying only that the Blue Hens’ interest was “serious enough to invite him for an interview.”

Murphy was the only candidate on the short list not to play football for Delaware.

“We solicited recommendations for the successor to Coach Raymond from many football coaches and athletic directors,” Roselle said. “My guess is that one or more of them indicated their belief that Coach Murphy would be a good candidate.”

The Blue Hens’ search committee, led by Roselle, will now narrow its focus to the remaining leading candidates, including current assistant coaches Ted Kempski and Gregg Perry and Rutgers offensive coordinator Bill Cubit.

In eight seasons at Harvard, Murphy has compiled a 42-37 record while leading his team to two Ivy League titles (’97 and ’01). Those were Murphy’s only two winning seasons.

The 2001 squad finished the season ranked No. 18 in Division I-AA.

—Staff writer Lande A. Spottswood can be reached at spotts@fas.harvard.edu.