Pittman’s Pocket: Remembering OJ Murdock, Part 2

Brian Pittman of NFL Draft Diamonds recently posted a story on NFL Draft Diamonds called Remembering OJ Murdock a star football player from Florida that landed in the NFL. Murdock’s life was cut short, and Pittman tells the story of a young superstar who passed at a very young age.

Pittman’s Pocket: “Remembering OJ Murdock” | Part One

Picking up on part two: It was 2004, and the Middleton Football program had finally established itself after being closed for 30 years of being closed due to segregation. The Head Coach at the time was Harry Hubbard. Hubbard was the one who pioneered the team alongside Charles Mack, Coach Reggie, Carlos Blake, Coach Bryant, Coach Al McCray, Coach Bell, and the Legend, Tampa’s Finest Freddie Solomon.

Middleton hired some of the best coaches because the talent was there. Middleton missed the playoffs that year going 6-6 but the talent pool was about to rise come 2005. Stoney Woods on was one of Tampa’s biggest recruits signing that year and in Middleton football program history. Amazing ball skills on offense and defense. OJ was waiting his turn, because his senior year, just began.

When 2005 came around, recruits from Miami, Tennessee, and Florida, were coming to Middleton to see OJ and other players. I remember seeing Charlie Strong coming on visits for OJ and other players Middleton was producing as well in the school’s 2nd year of existence.

I remember seeing Lou Holtz! I mean we had quality recruits on that 2005 Team, such as Defensive Lineman Rashard Fernell who went to Liberty, wideout Conshario Johnson who attended FAU, William Bergen the big Offensive lineman at Illinois, Victor, and Spoolie went to FAMU, Vergus Mock at Wideout went to FIU, Mario Lawrence went to Howard, and more.

But the main player who always stood out was OJ. While it was true that OJ had a problem catching the football, everyone knew when he hauled in the pass no one was catching him. I would like to believe that some of our QBs had a tough time giving him the ball, but they knew he was a beast when he caught it.

In 2005, We were in contention for the 4A district, and the best team at that time was Jefferson with Stephen Garcia, Robinson Marcel Trigg, and Javier Arenas who were studs, especially Javier.

Hillsborough High had Leslie Stirrups and Jarred Fason who ran a 4.39 at QB and that was in High school, his speed was truly legit.

Finally, Armwood High School, who had just finished winning Tampa’s first State Championship since Blake High School in 1968. They were loaded at Line with Bert McBride who eventually went to Stanford, and Kalvin Baily the #1 fullback in the nation. He stood at 6’0 and weighed 260 pounds and was running 4.60 flat. Add in the fact that they had Demetrius McCray who eventually go to Indiana University. Big man Torrey Davis went to play for Florida.

The competition was great, but we beat almost every team in that division that year. I remember when we were in the quarter-finals of the playoffs, just two games from the State Championship, OJ caught a ball across the middle and took that thing 83 yards straight to the house.

Armwood was a few points, it was like 34 to 30, and the 2nd half Armwood came to play football.

The refs also seemed to favor Armwood as well. Armwood had not allowed more than 12 points a game at that point. Middleton was blowing teams out on the other hand. Middleton held Armwood to 30 in the first half that year, when no other team had done that.

But Armwood ended up blowing us out 64-30 something.

Just two games later Armwood would face a QB by the name of Tim Tebow and beat Tebow to claim Armwood’s 2nd State Championship.

After the season, everyone was speculating about who would sign on signing day. Many expected OJ would sign with Florida State or Florida, but that did not happen. OJ would end up going to South Carolina and becoming a Gamecock.

OJ would go on to play with Stoney Woods and work with legendary track coach Joe Troupe. The city was lit, I will never forget how pumped they were to see Middleton on the Map. Back-to-back SEC signings were huge for our coaches as well!

We would finish winning the 4A district with Armwood in it, due to the playing an ineligible player when they played us in the regular season.

They had to automatically forfeit.

Still to this day, that 2005 class was and still is the only team to win a District Championship.