The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1177236
94 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY JACEY ZEMBAL F ighting through adversity is nothing new for NC State fifth-year senior defensive lineman Larrell Murchison. Nothing has been handed to Mur- chison, who is the embodiment of not being an entitled athlete. He has had to earn ev- erything that has come his way, and some- times he has had to do it with a heavy heart. The 6-3, 291-pounder lined up as a full- back and defensive end at East Bladen High in Elizabethtown, N.C., where he played with his fraternal twin brother Far- rell. The duo ended up together at Louis- burg (N.C.) College, which isn't known for producing high-major Division I talent. Murchison had the likes of Georgia, Texas, Ole Miss and North Carolina re- cruiting him during his sophomore year at Louisburg, and right when he thought he was going to choose the Bulldogs, the scholarship offer fell through. NC State quickly pounced on him and he became the last addition to the class of 2017. The adjustment from the junior college ranks to ACC football was not easy. NCSU defensive line coach Kevin Patrick often recalls how Murchison didn't know how to get into a proper stance at first. He needed to be redshirted, and it was the best thing to ever happen to him. "My stance was bad when I first got here, and I didn't know what I was doing," Murchison said. "It was so bad, I don't even remember what I was doing." The year of extra training led to Murchi- son winning the starting defensive tackle job when he returned to the field. He finished with 34 tackles, eight tackles for loss and four sacks, including an incredible three-sack per- formance against Virginia on Sept. 29, 2018. Murchison wasn't just playing for himself last year, but also for his twin brother. Farrell found out in July 2018 that he had testicular cancer and couldn't play running Murchison was tied for fourth nationally in sacks (1.17 per game) and 21st in tackles for loss (1.4 per contest) through games played Oct. 12. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN FAMILY FIRST NC State Star Defensive Lineman Larrell Murchison Knows Where His Heart Lies