Attleboro's Kyle Murphy reflects on journey through the trenches at URI

PHOTO CREDIT: MIKE SCOTT

By Miles Montgomery

KINGSTON, R.I. — Kyle Murphy notes that his journey to the University of Rhode Island did not come without ups and downs, but he enjoys being in the trenches and pushing through adversity on and off the field.

Murphy, a junior left guard for the Rams, has developed into one of the most well-respected leaders on and off the field.

“Coming in Division 1 from high school, I came in a little nervous, but I adapted quickly,” the Attleboro native said. “I felt like I blended in with the guys and felt like I could make an impact right away.”

What stands out the most about Murphy to his coaching staff, teammates and others is his work ethic, passion, and ability to lead by example.

“Kyle is a leader,” former URI linebacker and teammate Shawn Antoine II said. “Regardless of the situation, you can always count on him to remain positive and encourage others.”

The versatile former Hockomock Kelley-Rex All-Star flourished as a senior at Attleboro High when he was named as a team captain on both the basketball and football teams.

Rams head coach Jim Fleming saw something special in Murphy during the recruiting process and assured him that joining the URI football team would be a great decision.

“Kyle has been a tremendous asset for us,” Fleming said. “He did a fantastic job for us. He’s become a stalwart guy on our offensive line.”

“My favorite part about being an offensive lineman is definitely being in the trenches,” Murphy said. “Everybody depends on you to make the block. It always starts with the offensive line and defensive line. Being in the trenches, hitting someone on every play and making holes stands out.”

Murphy notes that his growing comfort in the offense has helped him develop as a player.

“During the last three games of my freshman year, I knew I could play at the college level,” he said. “After that, I felt more confident and gained more experience.”

Murphy believes he made a smooth transition into his junior year and credited one of his former teammates for showing him the ropes.

“I really looked up to my center, Dwayne Scott, when I came in to URI because he was my host during my recruiting visit and he showed me the ropes,” said Murphy. “That was the guy that I went to when I had questions because he was the leader of the offensive line.”

Murphy passed on the same advice Scott gave him to the 2017 freshman class.

“I wanted to help the young guys as much as possible and make them feel at home,” said Murphy. “I wanted to make them comfortable coming in because I knew it was a new environment for them.”

Murphy made his first career start at left guard against James Madison in Oct. 2016, and has helped contribute in several big rushing efforts since then. Murphy cites his uncertainty heading into URI as the reason he always has a backup plan.

“After college, if football doesn’t work out, I want to be a state police trooper,” he said. “When I was thinking about my major, I wasn’t really thinking about anything outside of criminal justice.”

Murphy has proven he is more than capable of stepping up when his team needed him the most and overcoming adversity throughout the course of the 2018 season.

“I definitely had to step up and be a leader on and off the field vocally and by example,” Murphy said. “It really helped me to think about the team more instead of just myself.”

The Rams made great strides over the last several years on and off the field, and it showed when they recorded their first season above .500 in over a decade with a 6-5 record.

“We left a lot out there on the field, but we definitely showed the league we're here to stay and we're competing,” Murphy said.