Sept. 20, 2010
2010 College Football Performers of the Week (Sept. 20, 2010)
Bronx, N.Y. -
For the second time in three weeks, Fordham University sophomore kicker Patrick Murray was honored by the College Football Performance Awards. After winning the award for his punting exploits the first week of the season, he was named a national NCAA FCS place kicking performer of the week, it was announced today.
Murray connected on all three of his field goal attempts as well as his lone extra point in Fordham's 16-9 win over Columbia on Saturday, a win that regained possession of the Liberty Cup for the Rams. He connected on a 24-yard field goal to cap Fordham's first offensive possession and give the Rams 3-0 lead early in the game and then booted a 22-yarder in the third quarter to pull Fordham to within three, 9-6. With 9:53 left in the game, Murray connected on his third field goal, a 21-yarder, to knot the contest at nine before the Rams scored a touchdown with just less than five minutes left for the win. It was Murray's first three-field goal game of his collegiate career.
In the season-opener at Bryant, Murray booted a 48 yard field goal, the third longest field goal in school history. The longest field goal in school history is a 50-yarder by Kevin Clyne against Ithaca in 1982 and Cline also connected on a 49-yarder that same season against Catholic.
Murray also handled the punting duties for the Rams on Saturday, punting six times for 232 yards, an average of 38.7 yards/punt, with all six of his punts being downed inside the Columbia 20, five of those inside the ten. His punts were downed on the nine, eight, three, 14, eight, eight and one.
On the year, Murray is averaging 44.07 yards/punt on 15 punts, fifth best in the NCAA FCS. He has also connected on four of his seven field goal attempts and his average of 1.33 field goals/game is tied for 20th in the NCAA FCS.
Last year, Murray earned First Team All-Patriot League honors, leading the league with a 41.9 yards/punt average, the fourth best single season average in Fordham history. His 41.9 average was also tenth best in the NCAA FCS. Murray had a long punt of 73 yards in the Colgate game on September 26th, tying him for the second longest punt at Fordham (the school record is 85 yards by Len Eshmont in 1939), and had eight punts that traveled more than 50 yards and seven that landed inside the opponent's 20.
The Rams will continue their 2010 schedule on Saturday, September 25th, as they host the Assumption College Greyhounds on Jack Coffey Field at 1:00 p.m. as part of Homecoming 2010.
