Titans’ Murphy Signs Contract Through ’92

Cal State Fullerton football coach Gene Murphy has signed a three-year contract extension through the 1992 season, the school announced Wednesday.

Murphy, 49, is about to begin his 10th season with Fullerton, which has finished no worse than tied for second in the Big West Conference in five of the past six seasons.

Murphy signed a five-year contract following the 1984 season during which Fullerton was ranked in the top 20 by United Press International. Fullerton went 11-1 that season, the only loss coming against Nevada Las Vegas, which was later forced to forfeit the victory.

Murphy’s record at Fullerton is 48-56, not including two opponent forfeits, despite the fact that the Titans have played 70 of 104 games on the road over nine seasons. He was 15-7 in two seasons at North Dakota before coming to Fullerton in 1980.

“We’re obviously very pleased to extend coach Murphy’s contract,” Fullerton director of athletics Ed Carroll said. “And we’re happy to get it done now, so we can all concentrate on the 1989 season.”

The extension comes at a time when the Fullerton athletic department is placing increased emphasis on academics, a move that has tightened admissions standards for athletes.

“The contract places emphasis on academics, not on wins and losses,” Carroll said. “Our priorities and objectives are about academics. We want Gene to win, but we also want him to know he has job security.”

Cal State Fullerton has reached a five-year deal with KMNY radio for the station to carry live broadcasts of all Titan football and men’s basketball games, as well as a new weekly coaches’ show.

Fullerton events have been broadcast by KMNY in the past, but because of contract conflicts, the broadcasts have on occasion been tape-delayed. During the football season last year, several Fullerton football games were delayed because KMNY was broadcasting Nebraska football games live.

The one-hour coaches’ show, which will air on Tuesday nights at 7 p.m., will be hosted by John Rebenstorf.

The agreement also calls for broadcasts of selected baseball and women’s basketball games.

“We are pleased to continue our working relationship with KMNY,” Carroll said. “It’s a big step for our program to lock up a quality signal in this very competitive sports radio market for the next five years.”