Greg Murphy named coach at Green Valley

Greg Murphy rebuilt a struggling Valley High School football program in five years, then crafted a new Centennial football tradition from the ground up over the past four years.

For his next project, Murphy will try to rejuvenate a once-powerful Green Valley football squad. Murphy has accepted the Gators' head coaching spot, replacing veteran area coach Lanny Littlefield, who resigned after just two years at the helm.

Among other factors, Murphy said the daily 65-mile, round-trip commute from his Green Valley Ranch home to the far northwest side of town played a major part in his decision to leave Centennial.

"The drive is just starting to wear on me a lot," Murphy said Monday. "Being in the car two hours a day is just starting to take its toll on me."

Murphy's work is cut out for him at Green Valley, where the Gators struggled to a 2-8 record in 2002 and lost to Desert Pines, 29-12, in the Sunrise Region quarterfinals. Green Valley did produce three Division I signees from that team, however, indicating that there is talent from which to build.

"We're just trying to find some guys willing to do what it takes to be successful," Murphy said. "We're going in there and trying to make it competitive."

The 39-year-old coach leaves behind a Centennial program that lost just one total game on the varsity, junior varsity and freshman levels in 2002. The Bulldogs enjoyed an undefeated regular season and a Northwest Division title before eventually falling to Palo Verde in the Sunset Region semifinals, 34-28, in double overtime.

"The toughest part in the whole deal is the kids," Murphy said.

Murphy's departure could be the first change in a very different look for Centennial athletics in 2003-04. Shadow Ridge will open in August and will draw most of its population from overcrowded Centennial, with as many as 2,000 students possibly leaving for the new school.

Centennial has not named a replacement for Murphy. Head football coaching vacancies also remain at Shadow Ridge and Liberty, as well as Bishop Gorman.

archive