Murphy looking ahead after coronavirus shuts down Bama softball

Former Elmore County star Elissa Brown and Alabama coach Patrick Murphy were set to be in Montgomery on Wednesday to face Alabama St. (Photo courtesy Unv. Alabama Media Relations)

By TIM GAYLE

Alabama softball coach Patrick Murphy admitted he was “pretty bored” before launching into a teleconference with the media on Monday morning, providing some insight into the effects of the coronavirus pandemic that has disrupted sports at the professional, collegiate and high school ranks throughout the nation.

He recounted the events of March 12, the day he told his players of the decision by Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey and others across the nation to suspend all spring sports through the end of March, a decision he called “a sudden punch to the gut.” A day later, the players were back in front of Murphy, hearing the news that the entire season had been canceled.

“There were a lot of tears and we weren’t sure what was going to happen,” Murphy said. “I said, hey, there is a possibility that they could come back and say we’re going to give everybody another year. And I think that decision is supposed to be made March 30.”

That decision was already made at the Division II level by NCAA administrators on Friday and while it is expected to extend to the Division I level, it comes with a variety of issues that have never been handled at this level by coaches. 

“There are a lot of things you have to consider,” Murphy said. “Obviously, scholarships, roster sizes. This year we had a roster of 20. If everybody comes back, it would be 25, which would be the largest we’ve ever had. The SEC has a travel roster (limit) of 22, the NCAA has a travel roster (limit) of 20 for regionals and postseason, so there would be a lot of issues with that. My thought would be the seniors would get the scholarships that they had this year and it doesn’t (count) against (the total number), we get 12. So I’m hoping that’s what happens because, as of right now, all seven (seniors) of mine said, yes, they would like to come back. We have to do a lot with academic stuff.”

The seven include home run slugger Bailey Hemphill, the team’s first baseman; reigning SEC pitcher of the year Sarah Cornell; talented leadoff hitter Elissa Brown of Eclectic, who has been sitting out most of the season with a broken hand; shortstop Claire Jenkins, who has missed the entire season with a knee injury; pitcher Krystal Goodman; reserve infielder Taylor Clark; and Oregon graduate transfer Alexis Mack, an outfielder.

Two are expected to graduate in May, three over the summer and two in the fall, so all would be taking postgraduate classes to maintain eligibility as student-athletes when the 2021 season rolls around. Because softball is not a one-to-one scholarship like football, the balancing act will get tricky when Murphy tries to renew scholarships of players he thought were leaving. Two of his players are on academic scholarships that end after eight semesters. Two others are on the GI Bill (for military dependents) with the same expiration. Another is a walk-on. 

“I literally go from a full ride all the way to, I’d say, about 22 percent, so the range of scholarships (is diverse),” Murphy said. “And what I usually try to do is whatever I’m graduating, that’s what I bring in. And I try to save some money to give to seniors for a raise (in scholarship allowance). So we were losing seven but I kind of gained six (with five incoming freshmen in the fall and mid-semester enrollee Abby Doerr). I’m hoping that I do have some (scholarship money) left over, but the senior class, if the rule (is) you’re going to get what you get (right now), I’m not sure all of them could afford that for a fifth year.”

While 2021’s freshman class is assured, the situation is a bit more uncertain with future classes. Many of those high school sophomores who would be part of the 2022 class would be seen by college recruiters over the summer in travel ball tournaments. Now, there are no guarantees.

“The new rule from last year or two years ago about how you can only contact juniors on Sept. 1 … this summer we were going to begin our narrowing down of our 2022s but it was basically just to watch because you can’t talk to them,” Murphy said. “So I don’t know if anybody is going to get to play this summer. That would be difficult because, you know, I don’t know how many we have on our (recruiting) board but it’s quite a few. 

“And then the other thing is that roster size. If everybody gets another year, that freshman class gets another year but they’re still freshman so I have five coming in and so I’d have 11 in that freshman class. So there would have to be some roster management in terms of I’d hate to graduate all 11 in one year, especially if they’re all big contributors.”

Because collegiate schedules for Power Five teams are made more than a year in advance, Murphy isn’t sure whether he’ll be able to schedule all of the lost games from 2020 that were canceled. One of those was a trip to Montgomery to play Alabama State – originally set for Wednesday – as a game scheduled for the benefit of Brown to play in front of family and friends. With her decision to return in 2021, Murphy will work with ASU coach Todd Bradley to put the game back on the schedule for 2021.

One that he may lose was the exhibition match originally set for next Tuesday with Team USA, which includes former Alabama outfielder Haylie McCleney.

“They were going to play 70 games and basically tour the country for the five months before the Olympics,” Murphy said. “You had to quit everything in your life to be a part of that team. I’m sure every one of them are worried to see what happens.”

So are his players, faced with an uncertainty that they’ve never experienced. Murphy recalls the days after Sept. 11, 2001 and the days following an April tornado in 2011 that caused extensive damage to Tuscaloosa and uses that as a gauge. His players don’t have that luxury.

“You know, none of them probably remember 911,” Murphy said. “This is a part of history for them and this is something new and it’s way bigger than any of us could ever imagine. And I think it’s the way you look at it, the way you respond to it. 

“The very first thing that I say at the first team meeting every August is the sooner you realize it’s not all about you, the better off in life you’re going to be. And I think everybody sees the big picture and realizes this has nothing to do with sports, this is a worldwide problem that we need to help solve. And so we’re going to do anything and everything to do our part, to stop the spread.”

Before he sent the team home, he asked for the players to pose in center field for a team picture. That picture, like the season, looks far different from any previously posed team picture. 

“It was random, there were no uniforms, just T-shirts or whatever they had on,” Murphy said. “That’s kind of the lasting memory of Team 24.”