Coach Murphy

O'Dea football star senior Brendan Murphy has been around high end coaches his whole life. He grew up in a heavy Michigan football centered family where he looked up to head coach Jim Harbaugh as a mentor. As he reached high school, he was introduced to legendary O'Dea head coach Monte Kohler where he finally realized his passion: coaching.

"Being around coach Kohler has led me to realize the impact I can make as a coach. It excites me to be able to be a mentor for younger generations like [Monte] Kohler, Mike Tomlin, and Jim Harbaugh has been for me," Murphy said.

Murphy has mentors to lead his passions into reality, but football itself causes him not wanting to leave. As he continues to get older he realizes that he will not be able to play, so being able to coach younger generations and feed them the passion he has for football thrills him.

"I just don't know what my life will be like without it," Murphy said refering to football.

He was also one of four captains on the O'Dea football team, where he got a taste for leading others in sports. He mentions how this draws him more into a career in coaching, as it continues his desire to lead a team of like minded individuals in a sport he loves.

"Being a captain on the football team my senior year made me realize that I want to lead again in the future, and I know that coaching is a great way to do that," Murphy mentioned.

For him, coaching is not just something he is passionate about but something he can not live without. Not being able to play the game he loves only makes him find other ways to contribute.

After a successful senior season, he plans on taking a break from football in college. He hopes on earning a degree in business and eventually using that degree to gain some leverage in getting back into football as a coach. Whether it is a side gig or a full time job, you will be able to see Murphy back on the field in the future.