Stepping up at Oklahoma: It's a Big Offseason for ... Chris Murray

After being the apparent successor to Creed Humphrey, the UCLA transfer's role heading into 2021 is murky as he tries to carve out a starting spot.

Each Saturday this summer, SI Sooners examines 10 players on the Oklahoma roster who can elevate their ceiling in 2021 with a big offseason. Today: offensive lineman Chris Murray.

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After a year where things fell below the normally lofty standards, a lot of eyes are on the Oklahoma offensive line heading into the 2021 season.

Bill Bedenbaugh has showcased himself as one of the absolute premier coaches at the position in the country and he has the task of finding what combination of guys will work the best, with former UCLA transfer senior Chris Murray among the many names in the mix for quality playing time.

When Murray came over from the Bruins prior to the 2020 season, it seemed clear he would play guard until he had the opportunity to take over as center once Creed Humphrey moved on to the next level.

But, after struggling to gain eligibility and appearing in just five games in a reserve role, the transition to center was essentially an open competition throughout the spring with Murray being far from the obvious choice despite Bedenbaugh expressing a belief in what he can do at that spot.

“Chris to me, he’s a really good guard,” said Bedenbaugh during the spring. “But I do think his best position is center. Now it’s just the mental aspects. We ask our centers to do so much stuff. They’re the leader obviously of the offensive line, but the offense. They’ve got to get everybody going in the right direction.

“So it’s more studying things, getting to really understand the offense, getting to really understand what the defense is doing. It’s a lot different playing guard as opposed to center. But I think they’re all doing a really good job. It’s a good competition. As long as we continue to improve we’ll be fine.”

Chris Murray / OU Athletics

Initially a 4-star recruit out of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, CA in the class of 2018, Murray committed to the Bruins and made an immediate impact starting all 24 games in the 2018 and 2019 seasons - the final 21 of which at one of the guard spots.

Murray was viewed as a significant addition to the Sooners as someone who could potentially contribute right away when he elected to transfer to Oklahoma. But, eligibility issues became a problem as he struggled to gain a waiver to be able to play to open the 2020 season.

Murray ended up missing the first four games of the year due to still having not been granted a waiver by the NCAA before finally receiving it prior to Oklahoma's matchup with TCU on Oct. 24. The wait to see the field was a significant challenge for a player who was expecting to be an key piece right away.

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Stepping Up at Oklahoma:

• Jadon Haselwood
• Jeremiah Criddell
• Jaden Davis
• Jalen Redmond
• Erik Swenson
• Brey Walker
• Marcus Stripling
• Marcus Major
• DaShaun White

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“It was really hard to watch them go out and compete, put their everything on the line, and I couldn't add to that in any way,” Murray said during the spring. “I'd say when I got that news (that he was eligible), it was the best news I got all year.

“I was really excited just to kinda give my energy, whatever I could, to the team last year. I thought that was my role as far as just whatever I could bring to the plate, if that was energy, motivation, just another helmet on somebody. I just wanted to be able to help them any way I could.”

A key part in Murray staying the course and continuing to work despite a 2020 season that got away from him through no fault of his own was Bedenbaugh who continued to express belief in Murray.

“Beyond supportive,” Murray said of Bedenbaugh. “That's a real guy, that's as plain as you can keep it. He's very real and very pure, I would say is the word. I would say during that time, you know, just keeping my head right, because he's tapped into his players. We're not just machines to him, you feel me? He's tapped into who we are as people. At certain times, when he knew that if I was low on energy, he knew. Because he knew how dedicated I was to this s***. How much I had left behind and came here.

“So, he was very, very supportive, always. Staying positive with me. Always making sure that my head was up. Like a metaphor, never down, your chin always up. Because regardless, we're going to live to see another day. So, I think he just made sure that I just stayed on course. He was a big reason why I came here, just because I knew of, not just what he's done but just as a person. I knew he was a very genuine person but going through those couple of months, I got to for sure see how real he was.”

Now Murray heads into 2021 with a new beginning and opportunity after a frustrating first year in Norman. He clearly has high-end talent - but finding where he fits is the challenge presented to both him and Oklahoma.

But it seems as if Murray has handled everything as well as could be expected, taking the setbacks in stride to grow into as good of a player as he can possibly become.

“It was an adverse situation, and proud of him,” Bedenbaugh said of Murray working through the eligibility issues. “You know, I mean he went and played scout team a lot, you know what I mean? And that's the, you know, the situation that he was in. Never complained.

“It was a tough situation. But the kid handled it really well and, you know, it's showing up right now in what he's doing, how he's playing, he's really, really explosive. You know he's a physical guy, plays really, really hard. Now for him it's just learning everything about the offense and so he can get everybody going in the right direction.”