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Titans’ Murphy Doesn’t Plan Any Job Shopping

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Times Staff Writer

Last year, Gene Murphy spent the holiday season shopping for a new job. This year, the Cal State Fullerton football coach wants Titan fans to know he’s staying put.

Probably.

Murphy admits that in the unlikely event Minnesota offers him the job recently vacated by Lou Holtz, he would seriously consider it (translation: Jump at it). He also says he would “be a fool not to listen to anyone who wants to talk,” (including Fred Miller, the new San Diego State athletic director, who is seeking a replacement for the recently fired Doug Scovil).

At least Murphy is not actively seeking employment elsewhere.

“I’m sure Minnesota is looking for a bigger name,” Murphy said. “Up there, it’d be, ‘Who’s Gene Murphy?’ and ‘Where’s Cal State Fullerton?’ The chances are I’ll be right here next season. I guess I’m just a Cal State Fullerton kinda guy.”

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Murphy turned down offers from Oregon State and Utah last winter after the Titans finished 11-1. A lot of people figured he should have taken the exposure and run . . . to a school with a few amenities such as a stadium, a practice field, athletic dorms, a training table, etc.

When the Titans got off to a 2-5 start in 1985, it looked as if they were right.

Murphy insisted all along he didn’t regret his decision to stay, and then Fullerton rebounded to win its last four to finish second in the Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. with a 5-2 conference record. Overall, the Titans were 6-5.

“This might be the most satisfying season I’ve ever experienced,” he said.

“We were 2-5 and they were getting the holy water ready,” Murphy said. “I guess you guys figure all the talk about character is a coaches’ cliche, but I think everyone saw what it’s all about in our last four games. Our seniors had too much pride to go out any other way.

“I hate to use the word amazing, but we really lost some key people to injuries. We had only one healthy running back, two walk-ons at fullback and our tight end was our backup quarterback, but we still got better as the season progressed and managed to win our last four.

“How can I be anything but satisfied?”

Satisfied about his team’s gutty performance? Of course. Satisfied about his job? Well . . . that’s a little bit different.

“I’ll tell you one thing about those other schools you mentioned,” Murphy said, referring to Minnesota and San Diego State, “at least I know where they’ll be playing in 1986.”

Just when Fullerton’s vagabond football team had seemed to find a home at Santa Ana Stadium, along came a group of businessmen with a dream of bringing an NBA franchise to Orange County. So, down goes Santa Ana Stadium and up goes the Westdome in its place. At least that’s the plan.

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The City of Santa Ana announced plans for construction of a 13,400-seat stadium Wednesday, but it won’t be completed before the Titans’ 1986 season.

“I have no idea where we’ll be playing next year,” Murphy said. “I’m gonna meet with Ed (Carroll, the Titan athletic director) and see if he’s got any ideas. We’ve got to get started on some kind of plan of attack.”

The Titans, who also have played in an erector set-like facility on campus, Glover Stadium in Anaheim and in Anaheim Stadium in recent years, are in limbo.

“Every other coach who’s after a kid we’re recruiting tells him to ask Murphy where they’ll be playing,” Murphy said.

And when a recruit asks, what does Murphy say?

“Oh, I say, ‘We’ll be playing at ruphymshrdlpst . . . “‘ he said, mumbling through his fingers. “What else can I do?”

Maybe, Murphy can make his players believe they have a home stadium. After all, he’s spent the last five years convincing them that they were a better team because of all the hardships that go along with playing for Cal State Fullerton.

There was no question that the Titans faced a rebuilding year in 1985, but no one expected them to look as inept as they did when the season began. They lost their opener to Division I-AA Montana (which finished at 3-8) and lost their next two games, too.

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Murphy somehow managed to keep his team’s spirits high.

When the Titans pulled out a pair of two-point victories in their first two conference games, there was hope the season could be salvaged. Then Fullerton was outscored, 52-13, in PCAA losses to Nevada Las Vegas and Fresno State, and the chances for winning another conference title were finished.

Enter Tony Dill.

When senior quarterback Kevin Jan finally succumbed to injuries--which included a fractured tail bone, cracked ribs, torn knee ligaments and, finally, a separated shoulder--Dill, a freshman who had played just one year of quarterback in high school, took over.

And the Titans took off.

Fullerton had averaged 15 points in the first seven games. With the mobile Dill at quarterback, the Titans averaged 31 in winning their last four, including a 37-26 upset of Cal State Long Beach and a 43-37 win over University of the Pacific, which set a school record for most points scored against a Division I opponent.

Dill threw 9 touchdowns in 85 passing attempts as memories of the Titan offense of 1984 were rekindled.

Would 1985 have been an even more satisfying year if Murphy had started the season with Dill at quarterback?

“First of all, if you start second-guessing yourself like that you won’t be long for coaching,” Murphy said. “And when Kevin was named PCAA Player of the Week, we didn’t look so bad. And we really opened things up after we were out of the conference race. Up to that point, we were still very concerned with ball control.

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“We always knew Tony had the physical skills, and he’s very mature and poised for an 18-year-old. But he was way behind in experience. The first game he played (a 21-17 victory over New Mexico State), we had center Dave Martinez calling all the audibles.”

Dill learned in a hurry, though. In the Titans’ final game, he threw three touchdown passes, and two came after he changed plays at the line of scrimmage.

Fullerton may be set at quarterback for a while, but the Titans will go into 1986 without a number of players who have played instrumental roles in the team’s rise to respectability in recent years. Twenty-one seniors will be leaving the program.

Gone are PCAA Defensive Player of the Year Mark Collins, who probably will be the first cornerback picked in the NFL draft, and safety Mike Romero, who had eight interceptions this season. The Titans also lose four top-notch receivers in Corn Redick, Allen Pitts, Wade Lockett and James Pruitt. Center Martinez, a first-team All-PCAA selection, and offensive tackles Hank Goebel and Darryl Titsworth will also be missed.

“We redshirted 26 kids this season,” Murphy said, “so we’ve got some good, young talent coming in. We’re going to try and get about five or six junior college kids--a fullback, a halfback, a receiver and maybe a quarterback--but otherwise we’re committed to recruiting high school kids.

“I think we’ll be about as good as we can be in ’87 and we should have the makings of another good football team next year.”

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Individual Titan Records Set in 1985

GAME

Longest kickoff return (tie): 100 yards--Rick Calhoun at Montana 9/9; Wade Lockett at Fresno State 11/2

SEASON

Most passes intercepted (tie): 8--Mike Romero

Best kickoff return average: 32.8 yards per game--Rick Calhoun

CAREER

Most yards receiving: 1,337--Corn Redick (1982-85)

Most touchdown receptions (tie): 16--Allen Pitts (1981, 1983-85)

Most passes intercepted: 20--Mark Collins (1982-85)

Best kickoff return average: 31.2--Rick Calhoun (1983-)

Most kickoff returns for touchdowns: 3--Rick Calhoun, (1983-)

-PCAA record

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