Bishop O’Connell High School will honor its former football standout Jack Murphy prior to the team’s 2 p.m. home game on Sept. 7, calling the occasion, “Jack Murphy Day.”
Murphy 23, died unexpectedly in April in Boone, N.C.
For O’Connell, the 6-foot-4 Murphy was a two-way standout lineman, graduating in 2019. He was a first-team Division I private-school all-state player (offensive line) his senior season, and played football for four years at the school.
Murphy helped O’Connell defeat top rival St. Paul VI Catholic in a conference semifinal playoff game, on the road, his senior year. Then he was leading the postgame cheers. The Knights haven’t had a bigger win since.
Members of Murphy’s family will be on hand for the Sept. 7 ceremony. T-shirts will be made in Murphy’s honor with proceeds going to an eventual Jack Murphy scholarship, that has not yet been made public.
Todd Sabatino is O’Connell’s current head football coach. He did not coach Murphy at the school, but talked with him often as a faculty member, and knew the family helped push for the ceremony to honor Murphy.
Colin Disch was Murphy’s head football coach at O’Connell, but no longer works at the school.
“It was so devastating to hear about Jack,” Disch said. “I was floored by the news. Jack was the one O’Connell player from my time there that I kept in contact with over the years. He would reach out and call and we’d talk football and about life. He sent me a hand-written note once thanking me for what I did for him.”
After O’Connell, Murphy played football at Fork Union Military Academy for one season, then in college at Marshall University, then at Appalachian State University in 2023.
Called a “gentle giant” who could cause a room to light up with laughter, Murphy started 14 games as an offensive lineman at Appalachian State, 13 at right tackle. He was chosen a third-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection last season.
Disch said Murphy had the talent and potential to eventually earn at least a tryout for an NFL team.
“Jack played hard, had great effort and endurance, he was a physical player and leader, and he loved football,” Disch said. “I loved coaching him.”
