Former NFL running back and Oklahoma assistant coach DeMarco Murray has been suspended for one game by the NCAA.
The NCAA said Tuesday that Murray had countless instances of impermissible contact with recruits. According to a statement, “Murray impermissibly contacted 17 prospects over 16 months, including 65 impermissible phone calls and 36 impermissible text messages.” The NCAA added that “Murray indicated he was unaware that a COVID-19 exemption from recruiting contact rules had expired” even though “compliance staff determined the school had adequately educated football coaches about applicable recruiting rules and the timing of changes to them.”
Additionally, the NCAA said Oklahoma coach Brent Venables violated head coach accountability rules but did not receive a suspension because of the timing of the NCAA rule changes and because he had “demonstrated that he promoted an atmosphere of compliance and monitored his staff.”
As part of the punishments for Murray’s violations, Oklahoma has self-imposed recruiting restrictions in 2023 and will face a three-week ban on telephone and electronic correspondence after the 2024 regular season. Oklahoma opens the 2024 season on Friday against Temple. The Sooners are favored at home by six touchdowns over the Owls.
Murray has been Oklahoma’s running backs coach for the past four seasons and remained with the staff when Venables was hired to replace Lincoln Riley prior to the 2022 season. He played at Oklahoma from 2007 through 2010 and is the school’s rushing leader in all-purpose yards and touchdowns. Murray spent seven seasons in the NFL and rushed for over 7,000 yards with three teams. His best season came in 2014 when he was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year during his final season with the Dallas Cowboys. That season, Murray rushed for a league-record 1,845 yards and scored 13 TDs.