For redshirt senior Larrell Murchison, playing football has been a hobby since the moment he could sign up for youth league, but since then it has grown to be something more than that.
“Me and my twin brother started playing in a youth league,” Murchison said. “I would play quarterback and he would play receiver, and it just started from there at like the youngest age you can.”
Murchison started his football career as a quarterback until he eventually had a growth spurt going into high school, and his coaches immediately put him on defense.
“My growth spurt happened in ninth grade, definitely in the summer,” said Murchison. “I was like 5’9” coming into freshman year, but that summer I grew to like 6’2” somehow.”
Murchison started his college football career at Louisburg College, a two-year residential college in Louisburg, NC, where he was named an NJCAA junior college honorable mention All-American, and the team was placed at no. 42 in the national junior college rankings. In his second year, he totaled 41 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks, helping his team finish with a 9-0 record. Murchison transferred to NC State in 2017 and redshirted the season as a defensive tackle.
“It was tough, you know juco is a lot different,” Murchison said. “Now you’re at a place where you have to know more and you have to do more, so a lot is expected of you. I just have to get in the groove of knowing what I can do and learning the defense here. I think it took a bit of time, but I got it now.”
Murchison showcased his D1 talent his junior year at NC State, starting at defensive tackle in every game and earning more sacks than any other defender.
“It was a surreal feeling coming from juco, being away from my family, for everyone to be able to see me on TV,” said Murchison. “For family who couldn’t make it to my Louisburg games, my parents were always there, but people watched me in my hometown, and seeing that was just amazing for me.”
He also earned the team’s Cary Brewbaker Award for Defensive Lineman of the Year as well as the Alpha Wolf Rising Award, which is given to the most improved player. Starting out the 2019 season, Murchison has already been named to the Outland Trophy Watch List, which is given annually to the nation’s top interior lineman.
“It’s been surreal,” Murchison said. “I’m not really looking at that right now, because I’m trying to stay focused so at the end of the year I can be where I want to be, but it’s a great honor to be on any list at all, especially coming from where I come from.”
Murchison looks to the great D-linemen in the NFL such as Aaron Donald and Geno Atkins for inspiration while playing the game. He also credits his improvements to defensive line coach Kevin Patrick and strength and conditioning coach Dantonio “Thunder” Burnette, who have given him support when he needed it the most.
“Coach Thunder, Coach Patrick, those two stayed on me heavy,” Murchison said. “Definitely Coach Thunder in the weight room though, he gave me the confidence boost that I needed when I first got here, so him believing in me. Coach [Patrick] seeing the progression I was making and believing in me and telling me what I need to do; those are the two great people that helped me out.”
After his game against Virginia last year, where he had four tackles for loss and three sacks, there is a lot to be expected of Murchison going into the 2019 season.
“It reminds me a lot of how Chubb used to take the field,” Patrick said. “When he takes the field, he’s running and talking, and his leadership has been really spectacular. He’s done a phenomenal job, so I’m excited to watch him play and lead this group.”
NC State has a young defense, and it’s going to take time for the new players to come into their own. Murchison is pleased with the improvement he’s seen in fall camp.
“Everybody is playing together, and everyone is playing good,” Murchison said. “I’m very hype about the defense we have here; we have a lot of people who know what they’re doing so I’m excited.”
