Football
Murphy, Keith
Keith Murphy
- Title:
- Special Teams Coordinator/Safeties
- Phone:
- @CoachMurphy87 (X)
- Year at CMU:
- 6th year at CMU
- Hometown:
- Seattle, Wash.
- Alma Mater/Year:
- Washington/1997
- Experience:
- 28th year
Keith Murphy enters his sixth season as the special teams coordinator with the Central Michigan Football program and first on head coach Matt Drinkall’s staff. Murphy was originally a member of Jim McElwain’s staff.
Murphy’s career is highlighted by being named a finalist for the Football Scoop National Special Teams Coordinator of the Year in 2022, when the Chippewas led the nation in blocked kicks (seven). His 28-year career includes stops in the NFL, FBS, and FCS level mentoring multiple All-Pro, All-American, and all-conference performers.
In 2024, Murphy’s Central Michigan special teams were led by All MAC placekicker Tristan Mattson. Mattson led the conference in field goal percentage (89 percent, 16-18), highlighted by a game-winning 47-yarder vs. San Diego State. Mattson also earned the MAC Special Teams Player of the Week award three times during the year. Also earning All-MAC honors was punt returner Donte Kent, who led the conference in average yards per punt return (13.6) with one return touchdown. Murphy’s coverage units were again strong with CMU’s kickoff return defense ranked No. 2 in the MAC and No. 25 nationally.
In 2023, Central Michigan, kickoff returner Marion Lukes earned First Team All-MAC honors after concluding the year ranked nationally in four statistics: No. 9 in all-purpose yards per game (134.83), No.6 in kickoff return touchdowns (1), No. 16 in combined kick returns (581), and No. 25 in kickoff return average (23.2). He led the MAC in three of those four statistics. Placekicker Tristan Mattson set a school-record for longest field goal in school history and longest in Kelly/Shorts Stadium history with a 58-yard field goal vs. Akron on Oct. 14, 2023.
In 2022, Central Michigan led the nation with seven blocked kicks which helped Murphy to be named a finalist for the Football Scoop National Special Teams Coach of the Year award. Murphy’s coverage units were strong in 2022 as CMU was ranked No. 2 in net punting and No. 3 in kickoff coverage in the MAC. In addition, all-conference award winners included punter Luke Elzinga and return specialist DJ Stepney.
In his first three seasons as Central Michigan’s special teams coordinator/safeties coach, Murphy’s charges have earned 14 postseason honors from the Mid-American Conference.
Tops among those is 2021 MAC Special Teams Player of the Year Award winner Kalil Pimpleton, who led the nation with a 19.1-yard punt return average and shared the national lead with two punt returns for touchdowns. Both of Pimpleton’s punt return touchdowns came in a 42-30 win over rival Western Michigan and one covered 97 yards, the longest in Chippewa history and the third-longest punt return in MAC history.
Pimpleton’s big game, which earned him the MAC West Special Teams Player of the Week Award, was historic on several levels. He returned three punts for 166 yards for a 55.3-yard average, bettering by 12 yards the MAC record for punt return average in a single game that had stood since 2003. It marked the first time a Chippewas player had returned two punts for a TD in a game since CMU moved up to NCAA Division I in 1975.
The return-game heroics weren’t limited to Pimpleton. Freshman speedster Marion Lukes averaged 23.1 yards on 21 kickoff returns and motored a kick 100 yards for a TD in a 31-10 win over Eastern Michigan. It was CMU’s first kickoff return for a score since 2017.
Pimpleton, who became the first Chippewa since 2009 to earn the MAC Special Teams Player of the Year Award, earned First Team All-MAC honors as a return specialist and another Murphy protégé, safety Devonni Reed, earned second team honors on defense.
Murphy’s 2021 punt return unit finished No. 2 in the nation and averaged a MAC-best 17.6 yards per return. His kickoff return unit ranked third in the MAC. In addition, CMU went from ranking No. 12 in 2020 to No. 6 in 2021 in the MAC in kickoff coverage.
Other All-MAC performers under Murphy include three-time all-conference punter Luke Elzinga and placekicker Marshall Meeder who earned the MAC West Special Teams Player of the Week Award after he kicked four field goals in the Chippewas’ 26-23 victory over Toledo in mid-October. It marked the first time that a Chippewa had made four field goals in a game since 2012.
Murphy came to CMU under head coach Jim McElwain after working as an assistant in special teams quality control at Florida from 2016-19. He served under McElwain when McElwain coached the Gators from 2015-17. While at Florida, Murphy mentored current NFL players Evan McPherson (kicker-Cincinnati Bengals), Eddy Pineiro (kicker-Carolina Panthers), All-Pro Tommy Townsend (punter-Kansas City Chiefs, and current XFL player Johnny Townsend (punter-Orlando).
Murphy’s resumé also includes stops at Southern Illinois (2014-15), New Mexico State (2009-12) and eight years at Eastern Washington (1999-06). He also served as an assistant with the NFL’s St. Louis Rams in 2007-08.
He earned a bachelor’s degree with a major in psychology from Washington in 1997, where he began his coaching career as a graduate assistant.
THE MURPHY FILE
Hometown: Seattle, Wash.
Family
Wife Carrie, daughter Lexi, son Trey
Education
Bachelor of Science, Psychology, University of Washington, 1997
Coaching Career
Special Teams Coordinator, Central Michigan University, 2024
Special Teams Coordinator and Safeties Coach, Central Michigan University, 2020-23
Special Teams Quality Control Coach, University of Florida, 2016-19
Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends Coach, Southern Illinois University, 2014-15
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends/Special Teams Coordinator, New Mexico State University, 2009-12
Assistant Special Teams Coach/Offensive Quality Control Coach, St. Louis Rams, 2007-08
Wide Receivers Coach/Special Teams Coordinator, Eastern Washington University, 1999-06
Graduate Assistant, University of Washington, 1997-99
Murphy’s career is highlighted by being named a finalist for the Football Scoop National Special Teams Coordinator of the Year in 2022, when the Chippewas led the nation in blocked kicks (seven). His 28-year career includes stops in the NFL, FBS, and FCS level mentoring multiple All-Pro, All-American, and all-conference performers.
In 2024, Murphy’s Central Michigan special teams were led by All MAC placekicker Tristan Mattson. Mattson led the conference in field goal percentage (89 percent, 16-18), highlighted by a game-winning 47-yarder vs. San Diego State. Mattson also earned the MAC Special Teams Player of the Week award three times during the year. Also earning All-MAC honors was punt returner Donte Kent, who led the conference in average yards per punt return (13.6) with one return touchdown. Murphy’s coverage units were again strong with CMU’s kickoff return defense ranked No. 2 in the MAC and No. 25 nationally.
In 2023, Central Michigan, kickoff returner Marion Lukes earned First Team All-MAC honors after concluding the year ranked nationally in four statistics: No. 9 in all-purpose yards per game (134.83), No.6 in kickoff return touchdowns (1), No. 16 in combined kick returns (581), and No. 25 in kickoff return average (23.2). He led the MAC in three of those four statistics. Placekicker Tristan Mattson set a school-record for longest field goal in school history and longest in Kelly/Shorts Stadium history with a 58-yard field goal vs. Akron on Oct. 14, 2023.
In 2022, Central Michigan led the nation with seven blocked kicks which helped Murphy to be named a finalist for the Football Scoop National Special Teams Coach of the Year award. Murphy’s coverage units were strong in 2022 as CMU was ranked No. 2 in net punting and No. 3 in kickoff coverage in the MAC. In addition, all-conference award winners included punter Luke Elzinga and return specialist DJ Stepney.
In his first three seasons as Central Michigan’s special teams coordinator/safeties coach, Murphy’s charges have earned 14 postseason honors from the Mid-American Conference.
Tops among those is 2021 MAC Special Teams Player of the Year Award winner Kalil Pimpleton, who led the nation with a 19.1-yard punt return average and shared the national lead with two punt returns for touchdowns. Both of Pimpleton’s punt return touchdowns came in a 42-30 win over rival Western Michigan and one covered 97 yards, the longest in Chippewa history and the third-longest punt return in MAC history.
Pimpleton’s big game, which earned him the MAC West Special Teams Player of the Week Award, was historic on several levels. He returned three punts for 166 yards for a 55.3-yard average, bettering by 12 yards the MAC record for punt return average in a single game that had stood since 2003. It marked the first time a Chippewas player had returned two punts for a TD in a game since CMU moved up to NCAA Division I in 1975.
The return-game heroics weren’t limited to Pimpleton. Freshman speedster Marion Lukes averaged 23.1 yards on 21 kickoff returns and motored a kick 100 yards for a TD in a 31-10 win over Eastern Michigan. It was CMU’s first kickoff return for a score since 2017.
Pimpleton, who became the first Chippewa since 2009 to earn the MAC Special Teams Player of the Year Award, earned First Team All-MAC honors as a return specialist and another Murphy protégé, safety Devonni Reed, earned second team honors on defense.
Murphy’s 2021 punt return unit finished No. 2 in the nation and averaged a MAC-best 17.6 yards per return. His kickoff return unit ranked third in the MAC. In addition, CMU went from ranking No. 12 in 2020 to No. 6 in 2021 in the MAC in kickoff coverage.
Other All-MAC performers under Murphy include three-time all-conference punter Luke Elzinga and placekicker Marshall Meeder who earned the MAC West Special Teams Player of the Week Award after he kicked four field goals in the Chippewas’ 26-23 victory over Toledo in mid-October. It marked the first time that a Chippewa had made four field goals in a game since 2012.
Murphy came to CMU under head coach Jim McElwain after working as an assistant in special teams quality control at Florida from 2016-19. He served under McElwain when McElwain coached the Gators from 2015-17. While at Florida, Murphy mentored current NFL players Evan McPherson (kicker-Cincinnati Bengals), Eddy Pineiro (kicker-Carolina Panthers), All-Pro Tommy Townsend (punter-Kansas City Chiefs, and current XFL player Johnny Townsend (punter-Orlando).
Murphy’s resumé also includes stops at Southern Illinois (2014-15), New Mexico State (2009-12) and eight years at Eastern Washington (1999-06). He also served as an assistant with the NFL’s St. Louis Rams in 2007-08.
He earned a bachelor’s degree with a major in psychology from Washington in 1997, where he began his coaching career as a graduate assistant.
THE MURPHY FILE
Hometown: Seattle, Wash.
Family
Wife Carrie, daughter Lexi, son Trey
Education
Bachelor of Science, Psychology, University of Washington, 1997
Coaching Career
Special Teams Coordinator, Central Michigan University, 2024
Special Teams Coordinator and Safeties Coach, Central Michigan University, 2020-23
Special Teams Quality Control Coach, University of Florida, 2016-19
Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends Coach, Southern Illinois University, 2014-15
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends/Special Teams Coordinator, New Mexico State University, 2009-12
Assistant Special Teams Coach/Offensive Quality Control Coach, St. Louis Rams, 2007-08
Wide Receivers Coach/Special Teams Coordinator, Eastern Washington University, 1999-06
Graduate Assistant, University of Washington, 1997-99
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