DeMarco Murray Suspended As Part of Sooners Coaching Staff Over Recruiting Violations
Ex-Sooners running back and NFL Pro Bowl player DeMarco Murray received a one-game suspension from the NCAA after violating COVID-era recruiting guidelines while working as a member of Oklahoma's coaching staff. Murray, hailed as an elite runner for the Cowboys and Titans in his NFL days, now works as the running backs coach in Norman (joining in 2020).
According to the NCAA's announcement Tuesday, Murray "impermissibly contacted 17 prospects over 16 months, including 65 impermissible phone calls and 36 impermissible text messages.
"Murray indicated that he was not aware that a COVID-19 waiver of recruiting contact rules had expired," the NCAA's release added.
The NCAA named Sooners head coach Brent Venables in its announcement, asserting that he violated head coaching responsibility rules. However, the NCAA opted not to punish Venables after determining that the coaching staff in Norman was properly educated regarding recruiting guidelines.
FORT WORTH, TX - OCTOBER 01: Oklahoma Running Backs Coach DeMarco Murray talks to a player on the sideline during the second half Oklahoma's road game against TCU at Amon G. Carter Stadium on October 1, 2022 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Emil Lippe/Getty Images)
"During the investigation, the enforcement staff determined that the school had properly educated football coaches on the applicable recruiting rules and the timing of changes to them," the NCAA's release noted.
(Send Questions Regarding This Weekend's Massive Slate of College Football Games To OutKick's Trey Wallace For Our Mail Bag, at Trey.Wallace@OutKick.com)
Oklahoma moved forward with several self-imposed penalties, including a "20 percent reduction in football spring recruiting days and a reduction of Murray's recruiting days from 16.4 to eight."
Murray was the 2014 NFL Offensive Player of the Year after tallying 2,261 total yards and 18 touchdowns with the Cowboys. He had a layover in Philly in 2015 before joining the Titans in 2016.
That season, Murray's 1,287 rushing yards bolstered Tennessee's offense and helped ease then-Titans rookie Derrick Henry to the backfield.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 14: DeMarco Murray #29 of the Dallas Cowboys is tackled during the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on December 14, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - NOVEMBER 26: DeMarco Murray #29 of the Tennessee Titans pushes off a tackle from Al Woods #99 of the Indianapolis Colts during the first half at Lucas Oil Stadium on November 26, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com