FSU Football Linebacker Transfer Shawn Murphy Planning To Lead By Example
In this story:
Florida State has continued introducing #Tribe24 this week, full of talented transfers and high school recruits. It's no secret that head coach Mike Norvell has had major success in the NCAA Transfer portal in the past, and, currently sitting with the No. 4 ranked recruiting class, 2024 has been no different.
Alabama redshirt sophomore transfer linebacker Shawn Murphy met with the media on Thursday to discuss his upcoming season with the 'Noles and how he plans to impact the team in Tallahassee.
With the loss of veterans Tatum Bethune and Kalen Deloach, FSU will field a relatively young and inexperienced linebacker group, leaving redshirt senior DJ Lundy as the most experienced guy in the room. Murphy appeared in 18 games during his two seasons with the Crimson Tide after redshirting as a freshman.
"I think the best leadership style is to lead by example," Murphy said when asked what his leadership style was. "I think anybody and everybody will respect you if you do what you're telling other people to do. I think as a linebacker and being the quarterback of the defense, I think that's a main priority for someone at my position or anybody in our position."
The 6'2'' 225 linebacker out of Manassas, VA, will be one of two redshirt sophomores behind Lundy and will be playing alongside sophomores Justin Cryer and Blake Nicholson. From what Murphy has seen so far, he said that they are hard-working and wants them to become one singular leader for the defense.
"Coming in here, seeing all these young guys, they work very hard. They're very confident, and they love what they do," Murphy said. "They're very passionate about what they do. I think with time, we could all build confidence and become one unit and one leader."
Murphy is one of five players who transferred from Alabama this offseason, joining teammates CB Earl Little II, RB Roydell Williams, OL Terrence Ferguson, and WR Malik Benson. When asked about what his teammates bring to FSU, he believes that they will make an impact in many ways.
"I think honestly, with all of us here, I feel like we can bring some of Alabama to Florida State and mix our cultures up, and I think that would be great for all of us," Murphy said. "I think all of them will bring a lot to the table, and I think all of them can contribute in very impactful ways, whether it's on the field or off the field, because they're all great guys."
Playing most of his snaps on special teams in Tuscaloosa, Murphy was a top-100 recruit coming out of high school. As a senior, he tallied 113 tackles, 20 for loss, six sacks, and two interceptions. He also earned recognition as an Under Armour All-American and received the 2021 Butkus Award at Unity Reed.
Murphy's full interview can be seen below.
READ MORE: FAMU Football Officially Adds Two More Former FSU Football Players
Stick with NoleGameday for more coverage of Florida State football throughout the offseason.
