South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer and quarterbacks coach Mike Shula are probably going to have to expand the quarterback board for the 2027 class. That’s because their primary target, Trent Seaborn of Alabaster, AL, is now being projected for Alabama after visiting there this past weekend.
Justin Murphy (6-0 194) believes he can handle the job, and he’s let the Gamecock coaches know, including recruiter Marqel Blackwell, that he wants to pursue playing quarterback in college.
“It started off as that they were recruiting me as a DB, then it switched to athlete, because I told them I wanted to play QB,” Murphy said. “Now, they are starting to look at me as a QB, so I’m just keeping my head in the right path. I just keep telling them I want to play QB, and my film has showed that. So, I’m just looking forward to them to start recruiting me and start looking at me as a QB.”
The next step in that process took place on Saturday when Murphy made his first recruiting visit to USC for the Oklahoma game.
“It went good being up there for the first time at Willy B. Stadium,” Murphy said. “It’s a nice stadium. I was able to talk to Mike Shula. It was my first time to be able to see him and talk to him. I felt good talking to him. I talked to Coach Beamer for a little bit in the pre-game. just saying what’s up and greeting him. That was my first time seeing him. It was good seeing all the coaches, Coach Blackwell also. It was good just seeing everybody.”
Blackwell offered Murphy as a DB in February. Now, he’s got the staff pretty much convinced to look at him as a quarterback, and apparently, Shula is seeing the light as well.
“It’s in the works. They’ve been talking about even more,” Murphy said. “They are starting to recruit me more for QB. It’s in the works, for sure. He was telling me about stuff they look for as a QB. Leadership, that’s really the main thing. Able to pass to a receiver that’s open, and have it on time, that’s really just the main three.
“They just like the way I throw the ball, and the way I’m able to move out of the pocket and create separation,” Murphy said. “They always talk about my track speed. That’s really the main thing.”
Murphy has now seen the Gamecocks in person after watching them on TV, and he sees an offense where he thinks he can excel.
“It fits everything really,” he said. “I feel like the stuff (LaNorris) Sellers is doing, I feel I can do the same thing. It will fit perfect. It will fit like the standard I’m looking for in an offense.”
Murphy said at this point, Vanderbilt is at the top with him because they are recruiting him as a quarterback. He camped there in June and worked out for quarterbacks coach Tim Beck. He also went to a game there in late September. Appalachian State is also recruiting him as a quarterback. He also has interest in Florida State and Auburn for possible visits, and he might return to USC as well.
“At this stage, I’m just enjoying the moments right now. That’s really it,” he said. “It was my first time being up there, and I had a good time. Hopefully I’ll talk to the coaches more.”
Murphy has a solid offer list, and most were for when he was being recruited as a defensive back. Those other offers include Maryland, Duke, Syracuse, LSU, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Kentucky, UCF, SMU and Kansas.