Recruiting Areas – Northern California (Ventura County North & West), Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Colorado, Hawaii
Andrae Murphy enters his fifth season on the Columbia Football Coaching Staff and begins his fourth year as its Defensive Backs Coach. He was named the Lions’ Defensive Backs Coach in April 2018 after serving one year as Columbia’s Defensive Quality Control Assistant in 2017. As part of his current duties, Murphy oversees Columbia’s cornerbacks and safeties.
Under Murphy, effective secondary play enabled Columbia to amass 14 victories combining the 2017 and 2018 seasons, the school’s highest win total in consecutive years since the institution joined the Ivy League in 1956, and first back-to-back winning seasons since 1961 and 1962.
In 2019, Murphy’s defensive backfield proved to be a strong point. Two Lions—safety Ben Mathiasmeier and cornerback Benjamin McKeighan—earned All-Ivy League honors as Mathiasmeier led the Lions with 67 tackles and two interceptions, and McKeighan set Columbia’s career record for most pass deflections. The group also included corners Will Allen and Fara’ad McCombs, along with safeties Hunter Lunsford and Jordan Colbert.
Despite suffering injuries to over 25 key players, Columbia completed its 2018 season with a 6-4 overall and 3-4 Ivy League record. Both safeties—Ryan Gilbert and Landon Baty—earned All-Ivy League honors. A First Team All-Ivy League selection, team Most Valuable Player and consensus all-academic honoree, Gilbert ranked No. 2 in the Ivy League and led the Lions in tackles for the second straight season with 89 tackles. A team captain and leader for the second year, Baty earned All-Ivy League honorable mention honors and contributed 142 tackles and eight interceptions in his four-year career. Along with veteran Benjamin McKeighan, a variety of young cornerbacks emerged on the year as Will Allen and Fara’ad McCombs, along with safety Ben Mathiasmeier earned the majority of the starts.
Before arriving in Morningside Heights, Murphy served the 2016-17 season as the defensive backs coach at the College of Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. While at Holy Cross, he planned, set up and instructed during practice, handled film exchange, distributed reports on tendencies, organized the scout team, recruited student-athletes, tracked academics and assisted with special teams.
Murphy has also spent time on football coaching staffs at Florida Atlantic University as a defensive quality control coach (2016) and at Massachusetts Maritime Academy as defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach (2014-16). Additionally, he worked as the defensive backs coach at J.P. Taravella High School in Coral Springs, Fla. from 2010-11 and as wide receivers coach at Everglades High School in 2009-10.
Previously, Murphy served in the United States Army as a combat infantry fire team leader from 2011-15, where he was the recipient of multiple Army Accommodation and Achievement medals, was a member of the top squad competition title and was elected to the Army Green to Gold Leadership program.
A native of Pembroke Pines, Fla., Murphy was a standout high school and college football player. A First Team All-MASAC and First Team All-New England selection as a defensive back/linebacker, he led Bridgewater State to a MASCAC Championship in 2008. In addition, he earned honorable mention NJCAA All-American and First Team All-Northeast Junior College honors as a defensive back at Dean Junior College, Mass. from 2005-07. He was a standout quarterback in high school.
Murphy graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in History from Salem State University in 2015. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree while majoring in Sports Management from Lynn University in June 2017.
THE ANDRAE MURPHY FILE
Birthdate: April 11, 1986
Hometown: Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Education
Bachelor of Arts, History, Salem State University, 2015
Master of Business Administration/Sports Management, Lynn University, 2017
Coaching Career
Defensive Backs Coach, Columbia University, 2018
Defensive Quality Control Coach, Columbia University, 2017
Defensive Backs Coach, College of Holy Cross, 2016-17
Defensive Quality Control Coach, Florida Atlantic University, 2016
Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs Coach, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, 2014-16
Defensive Backs Coach, J.P. Taravella High School, 2010-11
Wide Receivers Coach, Everglades High School, 2009-10
Playing Career
First-team All-MASAC and First Team All-New England selection at Bridgewater State … NJCAA All-America honorable mention selection at Dean Junior College in Mass. … Standout quarterback in high school.
