The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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PREP PROFILES Football fans around the country are familiar with Jim Harbaugh's track re- cord as a football coach. From a non- scholarship Football Championship Subdivision program at San Diego to a turnaround job at Stanford, and most recently with the San Francisco 49ers, he's been succeeded at each step along the way. Phoenix Bro- phy Prep 2016 defensive lineman Connor Murphy, however, is more familiar with Har- baugh than most. His older brother Trent played for Harbaugh at Stanford, and now plies his trade as a linebacker with the Washington Redskins. That connection allowed the younger Mur- phy to get to know the new Michigan head coach as a child. "When I was young, my mom ac- tually went into labor at the hospital when he was over in Arizona recruit- ing my brother," Murphy explained. "He was at my house for an in-home visit, and I got to sit down on the liv- ing room floor with Jim Harbaugh as he ended up babysitting us kids. I got to play chess and drink milk with him. That was pretty cool." The better part of a decade later, Connor has developed into a football prospect himself. Now standing 6-7 and 240 pounds, he impressed well enough on the field as a junior — just his second year as a full-time football player — to earn an offer from the Maize and Blue. "Actually, my dad called Jim Har- baugh, and Jim Harbaugh told my dad that he wanted to offer me," Murphy said. "My dad just pulled him in with the facts. Basi- cally, Jim just told my dad that he wanted to make sure that I had an offer from them. Obviously, he's re- ally familiar with my family because of my brother." Michigan isn't the only program to show serious interest in Murphy. Arizona, Arizona State, Boston Col- lege, Nebraska, Oregon and USC are among the other teams giving Mur- phy the opportunity to play in their colors. He's seen the in-state schools on a number of occasions, but won't get his first glimpse at Michigan until this summer. "I'm not familiar at all with their program yet," he said. "I liked their basketball team, but I don't know a whole lot about their football program. I'm definitely going to be intrigued to learn a lot more about them." Harbaugh hopes that learning about the program will convince the younger Murphy to become the second to play for him. — Tim Sullivan Arizona Defensive End Has Harbaugh Connection ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Brophy Prep High School Phoenix Class: 2016 Position: Defensive End Ht.: 6-7 • Wt.: 240 Rivals.com Rankings: No. 5 player in Arizona and No. 17 weakside defensive end nationally Connor Murphy