Sports forum: NDSU's Murphy looking for a shot at the NFL

By Jeff Kolpack

January 28, 2003 at 11:00 PM

With two all-star games behind him, former North Dakota State defensive end Leif Murphy is looking ahead to a shot at the NFL.

Murphy has been working out in Missoula, Mont., with trainer Phil Ryan, a friend of Murphy's agent, Chris Gittings of Helena, Mont. Murphy is preparing for NFL testing in March.

"I'm basically working on getting stronger getting faster and cutting fat," Murphy said.

Murphy said Ryan puts players through workouts six days a week. That includes using the Missoula terrain.

"We've gotten up and run the mountains a few times," he said. "It's not exactly one of my favorite things to do."

Murphy said he had a good outing at last weekend's Paradise Bowl in St. George, Utah. His West team was beaten by the Midwest 36-30.

"I hit the quarterback a few times," he said.

Murphy also played in the Cactus Bowl Division II all-star game in Kingsville, Texas.

By Jeff Kolpack

Jeff would like to dispel the notion he was around when Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, but he is on his third decade of reporting with Forum Communications. The son of a reporter and an English teacher, and the brother of a reporter, Jeff has worked at the Jamestown Sun, Bismarck Tribune and since 1990 The Forum, where he's covered North Dakota State athletics since 1995.
Jeff has covered all nine of NDSU's Division I FCS national football titles and has written three books: "Horns Up," "North Dakota Tough" and "Covid Kids." He is the radio host of "The Golf Show with Jeff Kolpack" April through August.

Sports forum: NDSU's Murphy looking for a shot at the NFL

With two all-star games behind him, former North Dakota State defensive end Leif Murphy is looking ahead to a shot at the NFL. Murphy has been working out in Missoula, Mont., with trainer Phil Ryan, a friend of Murphy's agent, Chris Gittings ...