Penn State will hire a running backs coach at some point but it won’t be DeMarco Murray.
Mere hours after it was reported that the Oklahoma candidate had emerged as a candidate for the job, OUInsider reported that Murray is staying at his alma mater, where he’s been the RB coach since 2020.
Despite engaging in conversations with Penn State about their vacant running backs job, DeMarco Murray is staying on staff with the #Sooners, sources tell https://t.co/QPZYipVqGd.
Details from @Bdrumm_Rivals…
➡️ https://t.co/PFwRt1xf7N pic.twitter.com/OQuV04DVD1
— OUInsider (@OUInsider) February 12, 2025
Pete Nakos of On3Sports wrote Tuesday that Murray, 36, had emerged as a candidate at PSU and there was “mutual interest” on both sides.
BREAKING: Oklahoma RB coach DeMarco Murray has emerged as a candidate for Penn State's open running backs coach, @PeteNakos_ reports👀 https://t.co/xGN5iKWpFW pic.twitter.com/fGI9899AAo
— On3 (@On3sports) February 11, 2025
He joined Arizona as a running backs coach for the 2019 campaign before joining his alma mater in the same role the past four seasons.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Murray rushed for 7,174 yards and 49 touchdowns during his seven-year career playing for the Dallas Cowboys and Tennessee Titans. His best season came in 2014, leading the NFL in rushing attempts (392), yards (1,845), yards/game (115.3), and touchdowns (13).
A third-round pick in 2011, Murray ran for 3,685 yards (4.9 yards per carry), caught 157 passes for 1,571 yards, played a Big 12-best 353 plays in 2010, and totaled 63 touchdowns from scrimmage in his four-year Sooner career.
Penn State boasts one of the best backfields in college football with Singleton and Allen returning for their senior years. Both backs rushed for over 1,000 yards last season and decided to run it back to win a National Championship. Penn State returns Singleton, Allen, quarterback Drew Allar, center Nick Dawkins, defensive end Dani-Dennis Sutton, safety Zakee Wheatley, and others for the 2025 season.
Nakos also reported that former Temple head coach Sean Drayton is in the mix for the job. Drayton has a background in coaching running backs, perhaps most notably at Ohio State, where he was from 2012-14, his last season being a national championship campaign.
