West Coast Preps interviewed future Cal Football player, Tyler Murphy. Here is that interview.

Tyler Murphy is a 6’4, 280-pound offensive lineman from Acalanes High School. As a senior, he recently committed to Cal Berkeley. In this Q&A, we discuss his football season, the benefits of being a dual-athlete, and the process of his Cal commitment. 

Denel: “So, you just finished your senior season of high school football where your team made it to the NCS Division IV semifinals. How did it go for you?” 

Tyler: “Yeah, it was a tough game. All year, we were riding high and playing really well. We got to the game and offensively we just couldn’t click. Our defense held them down to zero points. They just scored off turnovers defensively. Offensively, we just couldn’t get rolling, but it happens and it was a tough loss.”

Denel: “Reflecting back on your offseason, what have you done to prepare for the season?”

Tyler: “Offseason with our weights coach: We’d be out there on the field every other morning and we get our running in. Our coach likes to do different types of running. We work a lot of track stuff because he’s a track coach, too. So we implemented a lot of weights and we went for speed over endurance. We would build up endurance over practice, stay in the weight room and stay in shape running. Also, we were getting the right staff and having a good team overall to stay together. Having to grind together definitely helped.”
Denel: “Nice. I also saw in your Twitter bio that you also play basketball. Are you currently playing?” 

Tyler: “No, I’m not playing any right now. I’ve been playing since fifth grade for AAU. My whole life,  I was a basketball player and I still love basketball. I’m just not playing right now.

Denel: “I’m curious to know if the training for the sports compares. Does training for both sports help you with your general athleticism? Are there certain things from basketball that help with football?” 

Tyler: “Yeah, so the conditioning is definitely totally different than football. You go hard for a couple seconds, like 10-30 seconds max and you get a little break. With basketball, you have to keep sprinting. What basketball translated for me the most was my footwork and hands (with the ball handling). Footwork definitely translated over for me to football. However, conditioning wise, it’s hard to translate from one to the other.” 

Denel: “So with football, what do you see as some of your strengths?” 

Tyler: “I think the ability to create is my strength. On the offensive line, I can pull a lot. So that’s my, I think, my No. 1 strength is being able to pull and get out in space for sure.” 

Denel: “Looking back at your freshman year, how have you grown as a player?” 

Tyler: “Yeah, my freshman year was all about just playing freshman football, having fun with my friends and everything. As I evolved and got older, I took the game a lot more seriously and I really developed a passion and love for the game. Whereas beforehand, I kept checking out because I was always a basketball guy. I always wanted to stick with basketball when I was younger. As I got older, I realized football is my thing and I stuck with it.” 

Denel: “How long have you played football for?” 

Tyler: “I’ve played flag football since elementary school. I’ve played tackle football just since high school.” 

Denel: “How was that adjustment for you?” 

Tyler: “For me, during freshman year, I was always one of the biggest guys out in the field. It wasn’t that hard of an adjustment. I think the biggest adjustment is definitely just those first couple of weeks in pads. However, that’s getting back into it every year. Those first two weeks are definitely painful and hard. After that, it’s just normal and you get used to it.” 

Denel: “What was your motivation to stick with football and then to get to where you are now?” 

Tyler: “For me, I think my motivation just came from the love of the game. As a young player, you want to eventually be on varsity and play those high level games. I was lucky to play sophomore year on varsity. I realized this is an atmosphere that’s unlike anything else and I love it. The game took over for me.” 

Denel: “When did you know that you could go to the next level?” 

Tyler: “I go to a smaller school, so I wasn’t really sure what would happen with that. It was more just playing, just have fun out of it. Sophomore yearl, though, my coach, near the end of the year, told me there was interest and stuff. Midway through my junior season is when I knew I could definitely take this to the next level.” 

Denel: “So speaking of going to the next level, you recently committed to Cal Berkeley. Congratulations on that. Before I go into that, I just want to know how many offers you received total?” 

Tyler: “I had eight offers, which is cool. For me, picking Cal was definitely the perfect decision. I want to play PAC-12 football. I get to stay at home in the Bay Area with my family. It was kind of a no brainer for me. It was great.” 

Denel: “That was my next question. I was going to ask what influenced you to pick Cal. How does it feel to commit to a D1 school?” 

Tyler: “The recruiting process…it’s hard. I mean, you go on social media and you can get shunned by everyone else’s success. The recruiting process is definitely hard. It’s not easy. There’s a lot of ups and downs. Being able to commit and being done with the recruiting process is definitely a lot of stress off my table. I just I feel a lot more better.” 

Denel: “How have the talks been with the coaches since you committed?” 

Tyler: “Yeah, they’ve been good. I mean, we’re all excited. I’m excited to get down there. Coaches are excited. Lot of new coaches are coming in, though, so I haven’t been able to talk with everyone. They’re still working on the roster, the staff and I’m excited. We got a lot of new guys coming in. I think we can turn this program around for sure.” 

Denel: “So, my last question is: what do you hope to accomplish at Cal during your next four years?” 

Tyler: “My next four years? I’m just trying to play. That’s my goal: I want to play. I’m excited to restart and get that excitement of being a freshman and having to earn your way up. I think it’s going to be a grind, but I’m excited to prove myself. That’s number one, just prove myself and show that I can be out there. I just want to be out there, play, and win.”