Gene Murphy

Eugene Vincent Murphy (August 6, 1939 – October 29, 2011) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of North Dakota from 1978 to 1979 and at California State University, Fullerton from 1980 to 1992, compiling a career college football coaching record 74–96–1.

Early years
Born and raised in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Murphy was an all-state quarterback and shortstop in high school. He initially attended the University of Minnesota, then transferred to the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, and played college football as a quarterback for the UND Fighting Sioux from 1960 to 1962.

Coaching
Murphy then moved into an assistant coaching position with the team, where he remained until 1977. Murphy later was the UND head coach in 1978 to 1979. The team went 15–7 in his two seasons, winning the North Central Conference and advancing to the Division II playoffs in 1979.

In 1980, Murphy became head coach at California State University, Fullerton in Orange County. He led the Titans for thirteen years and was their final coach; the program was discontinued after the 1992 season. The Titans won the Pacific Coast Athletic Association championships in 1983 and 1984. The 1984 team was ranked in the National Top 20.

His assistants included future National Football League (NFL) head coaches Steve Mariucci, Tom Cable, and Hue Jackson. Notable former players include Damon Allen, Mike Pringle, Bobby Kemp, Mark Collins, and James Thornton. In 1999, Murphy was inducted into both the University of North Dakota Hall of Fame and the Cal State Fullerton Athletics Hall of Fame.

After Cal State Fullerton dropped its football program, Murphy served as head coach at Fullerton College from 1993 to 2007. He remained a consultant with the program until his death.

Death
Murphy died at age 72 in 2011 at USC Hospital in Los Angeles, four days after surgery for esophageal cancer. He was survived by his daughter Aileen, her mother Christine McCarthy, his two adult sons, Tim and Mike, and his four grandchildren. He was buried in Fullerton at Loma Vista Memorial Park.