Gene Murphy, who also serves as athletic director at Hinds Community College, is now in his eighth season in his second stint as head coach of the Hinds football program.Â
The Raymond native has served as the school's athletic director since July 1997, after serving as the head football coach from 1987 to 2003. Murphy had remarkable success during his first stint, compiling a 133-41-5 overall record.Â
Murphy has since gone 37-28 in his seven seasons back on the sidelines and his overall record now stands at 170-69-5, making him the winngest active coach in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
The 2013 version saw the Eagles win their final five regular season games to finish the season with a 7-2 mark before dropping the Brazos Valley Bowl to Navarro (Texas) College, 31-24, in the game's final minute. In the process, three Eagles were named to the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) and All-Region first teams, six players were selected to the All-State second team and six more student-athletes were selected to the All-State honorable mention team.
The Eagles also returned to the MACJC playoffs in 2011 after finishing second in the South division, and Dontrill Hyman (DL) and Kyle Williams (K/P) were named to the NJCAA All-American team.
The Eagles won six state and regional championships during his first go-round, including four consecutive titles from 1994-1997. Numerous former Eagles coached by Murphy continued their playing careers at four-year universities throughout the nation and 46 former Eagle stars have gone on to play in the National Football League (NFL).Â
Murphy, who was also the offensive coordinator during his first time around, was selected as Region 23 Coach of the Year six times in 16 years as the Eagles head man. He has coached 36 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-Americans and two NJCAA National Players of the Year, and has led the Eagles to 14 MACJC state playoff appearances, 12 South division titles and seven national bowl game appearances in his 20 seasons at the helm.
Before coming to Hinds in 1983 as the defensive coordinator, Murphy spent three years as the head football coach and athletic director at Caldwell High School in Columbus, where he led the team to a South Little Ten Conference runner-up finish.Â
Murphy also spent one season as the assistant football coach and head baseball coach at Philadelphia High School before relocating to Caldwell High.Â
Murphy received his bachelor of science degree and master of education degree from Mississippi State University. He also received an additional School Administration Certification from Mississippi College.Â
He is married to Dot, who currently serves as the assistant athletic director at Hinds. The couple has three children; son Kelly, and daughters Ashley and Jennifer.
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