Pat Murphy, defensive backs coach of the 2010 Junior National Team, will help coach America's top athletes this January in the first-ever "Team USA vs. The World" game. But before he looks ahead to this historic event, he has his sights set on making a little history of his own.
Murphy and his Helena (Mont.) Capital Bruins (12-0) square off against Great Falls (Mont.) C.M. Russell High (11-1) on Friday, Nov. 20 for the Class AA title. Helena Capital is seeking its fourth straight state championship, a feat that has not been accomplished in the league since 1943. The Bruins are making their fifth straight trip to the state finals and have plenty of momentum thanks to a state-record 33-game win streak dating back to the 2007 season.
However, the Bruins have a giant stepping stone between them and their historic fourth straight state championship. C.M. Russell was their closest margin of victory this season (2 points), and head coach Pat Murphy is expecting much of the same this time around as well.
"Last time we played CMR, we learned that we cannot play poor on special teams and expect to win," said Murphy, who owns a 63-11 career record (.851) and three state championships with Capital High. "We played poorly on special teams the first time we played them, and it almost cost us. We will not be making that same mistake twice."
Murphy and his high-octane Shotgun Wing-T offense have been averaging 32.4 ppg, while C.M. Russell's stingy defense has allowed just 11.4 ppg.
"CMR has a veteran defensive front that is very quick. It's going to be a challenge for our young offensive line to execute our Shotgun Wing-T offense," Murphy said. "I think our biggest challenge will be getting pressure on their great QB. If he has time to throw consistently, he will pick us apart."
A majority of the Bruins roster has played on this stage before, but it's tough not to get caught up in the moment as a high school athlete. Murphy and his coaching staff have made sure their guys are ready to perform at the highest level during one of the biggest games of their lives.
"We have been stressing to them that they need to trust their teammates, trust their coaches and never look at the scoreboard," he said. "They should be focusing solely on their assignments and execution and on the things that they can control. Our level of play must be consistent, whether we are up by 20 or down by 20."
Murphy will have the opportunity of a lifetime this January working with elite high school coaches and tremendous athletes during the 2010 "Team USA vs. The World" exhibition game. In the meantime, he and his Capital High Bruins hope to cement their place in Montana high school football history this Friday night in Helena.
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Team Notes:
2010 Junior National Team head coach Chris Merritt and Miami Christopher Columbus High School (9-1) face Team USA's wide receivers coach Telly Lockette and Miami Central (9-1) this Friday at Christopher Columbus.
The first "Team USA vs. The World" game will be on Jan. 30, 2010 in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. The game will match USA Football's 2010 Junior National Team - 45 of the country's top high school seniors - against a "World" team composed of the best players aged 19 and under from outside the United States, spanning four continents.
