SYRACUSE -- It's been an emotional few days for former Syracuse orange assistant coach Rob Murphy, going from the excitement of signing his first head coaching contract to the sadness of saying goodbye to Syracuse.
That emotion was very apparent in the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center as Coach Jim Boeheim and a handful of SU players joined Murphy in a media conference to officially say goodbye to the Orange. Murphy, of course, was hired last week as the new head coach of Eastern Michigan, and choked back tears on Tuesday as he explained how much Coach Boeheim has meant in his short coaching career.
"I've had a great, great seven years, said Murphy, "In 2004 when I was awarded this opportunity to take over this assistant coaching position, I didn't have a lot of experience at the higher major level, I was a young coach trying to find my way, and coach Boeheim gave me the opportunity of a lifetime. And it's a very difficult time when you're leaving such a great, great person, and a great coach."
"Rob Murphy is ready to be a head coach," confirmed Coach Boeheim, "he's gonna be a tremendous head coach, and we're gonna miss him here."
Click on the video tab to see and hear from an emotional Murphy.
More on this story from the Associated Press:
Jim Boeheim broke the ice with a joke or two, then turned serious as he prepared to say goodbye to assistant Rob Murphy.
"This is a sad day for me," Boeheim said Tuesday. "Coach Murphy has been so important to our program. He's been an unbelievable coach for us, but he's ready to be a head coach."
Murphy, 38, an assistant at Syracuse the past seven years, was hired last Thursday to replace Charles Ramsey at Eastern Michigan.
But he didn't want to leave without thanking Boeheim publicly, and he struggled to keep his emotions in check.
"I've had a great seven years," Murphy began before halting immediately for several moments and brushing away tears. "I didn't have a lot of experience at the highest level. I was a young coach trying to find my way and coach Boeheim gave me the opportunity of a lifetime.
"They've always treated me and my wife as if I was family," said Murphy, who met his wife, TeNesha, here. "This day was really to thank coach Boeheim. He's such a great, great person. I'll never forget the opportunity. Since I've been here, I've grown a lot. I've been able to become a well-rounded man under coach Boeheim, not just a coach. As I move forward, I think I'm well prepared."
Small wonder Murphy called his new job a perfect fit. It's just a 40-minute drive from his hometown of Detroit, and Mayor Dave Bing, Boeheim's college roommate, already has given Murphy his endorsement.
"I talk to every assistant that comes here to help us to be as strong as we can be and to get ready to be a head coach," Boeheim said. "Rob Murphy is ready. We're going to miss him here. We'll try to go on without him, but it won't be that easy. I'm just really proud that he's been able to get this job. I know that he's going to do a great job."
Murphy was a high school coach in his hometown for six years and also served as an assistant at Kent State for two years. He graduated from Detroit Mumford and Central State University in Ohio.
At Syracuse, Murphy mentored the forwards and his tireless work was integral in luring Wes Johnson here from Iowa State. Johnson was Big East player of the year in 2009-10 and became the fourth overall pick by Minnesota in last year's NBA draft.
Murphy also recruited current star Kris Joseph, who will be a senior in the fall, and the Montreal native had mixed emotions as he listened to the coach's farewell.
"He recruited me since my junior year of high school," Joseph said. "We're pretty close. The way he recruits is amazing because of the way he makes you feel - like you're a part of a family. He's more like a big brother, a father figure. It's going to be hard without him, but he'll still be with me. I know I can still count on him to be there if I need to talk to him about anything."
Murphy's new job will be a challenge, and he knows it. Ramsey was fired three weeks ago with a 68-118 record over six seasons. That was a far cry from the not-so-distant past. With players such as Earl Boykins, a star from 1994-98, EMU once was a team to be reckoned with, earning four NCAA tournament berths from 1988-98 and even beating Duke 75-60 in the first round in 1996.
"The program is not in great shape," said Murphy, who expects to incorporate much of what he's learned at Syracuse, including Boeheim's signature zone defense. "They had a host of really good players in their glory days. I want to bring that back. They have a vision to get the program back to where it was."
Murphy, who has two young children, signed a five-year contract worth $210,000 annually, plus a $15,000 radio stipend. He will also have incentives for wins, Mid-American Conference performances, postseason play and attendance.
Boeheim said he was working to schedule Eastern Michigan, perhaps as early as next season.
"We're probably going to have to play him a game this year before he gets loaded up with too many players there," Boeheim said. "Then, we're not going to play him anymore."
Murphy was in the running for the Kent State job before removing his name from consideration. The Eastern Michigan job opened 48 hours later, and he jumped at the chance.
"I didn't know," he said, "this would happen three weeks ago."
Before Murphy entered the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center to speak on Tuesday, former Syracuse star Adrian Autry ducked out. Autry, 39, is expected to replace Murphy, but an official announcement has not been made by the university.
Autry, who played professionally for a decade in Europe, worked on Seth Greenberg's staff at Virginia Tech for three years and also coached at the high school and AAU levels.
