TAMPA – O.J. Murdock has Olympic dreams and Olympic abilities, and he may never even get a chance to showcase them.
Murdock, a Tampa Middleton High graduate, won the state Class 3A track and field finals at Coral Springs High, capturing titles at the 100 and 200 meters. His times of 10.66 in the 100 and 21.32 in the 200 rank among the best in the nation among prep sprinters, but Murdock also happens to be one of the most dangerous football players in the state, setting off wild recruiting wars from top football and track and field schools from all over the nation that had him fretting his decision right down until the last day.
It was widely believed Murdock would sign to play football and run track at the University of Florida, and that Florida State and Miami were the other finalists among the more than 100 schools that pressed hard for Murdock's attention.
By the time signing day rolled around, Murdock made it clear that he planned to run track in college, even though he was more widely known for football. He went to the podium on national signing day with a cap representing Florida and Miami on the dais. When it was his turn, he playfully lifted the Florida cap halfway into the air, then put it down, reached into his lap, and pulled out a South Carolina cap, shocking the crowd and delighting new Gamecocks football coach Steve Spurrier, and Gamecocks track coach Curtis Frye.
Frye was the unknown factor in the recruitment of Murdock. Frye has built an outstanding program at South Carolina and his sprinters have gone on to national recognition. South Carolina emphasized track and field quite strongly to Murdock and Frye visited him on several occasions. It was that late push that won Murdock and his parents.
Murdock said he favors track over football in many ways even though he has serious NFL dreams in four or five years.
"Football is a team game, so I am not too mad at myself when things go wrong, but in track, I feel it's all up to me. I get really amped up when I get on the track.''
Murdock's junior year raised a lot of eyebrows, but he wanted to close out his senior year at Middleton with a bang. Despite the recruiting trips and the phone that never stopped ringing off the hook, Murdock was ready once the spring track season came around. He had his sights set on states and was considered a favorite in both events when the team headed for Coral Springs.
"Leaving my senior year at Middleton with two state championships has really meant a lot to me,'' Middleton said. "It's what I have been hoping to do ever since I started running track and it paid off.''
While track and football have always come easily to Murdock, academic success hasn't. He struggled with his grades during his freshman year at Tampa Hillsborough and entered a special after-school class. He worked as hard on academics as he did on his track skills and was teary-eyed when his football coach Henry Hubbard spoke long about the dedication Murdock made to being a better student.
His athletic hero is Oakland Raiders wide receiver Randy Moss and he thinks often of Moss, not only on the football field, but also on the track.
"I like his attitude when it comes to both sports,'' Murdock said. "I want to be like that. He's always amped up and feels nobody can stop him. That's how I want to be.''