Sept. 17--Hearing criticism from friends is never easy.
But when teammates and roommates approached Marchie Murdock last season, the Illinois receiver let the critiques soak in. And then he did something about it.
"It is kind of hard to hear," Murdock said earlier this week. "But when you're so close to someone and they're telling you a weakness, you really have to think, 'Yeah, it probably is a weakness of mine. And I probably need to go out and work on it.'"
So when teammates including Jaylen Dunlap, James Crawford and D.J. Taylor pointed out some ways he could improve his route-running and suggested he study the playbook more intently, Murdock listened.
His efforts have been validated early this season.
With top receiver Mikey Dudek lost to a knee injury and veteran receiver Justin Hardee sidelined with a foot injury, Illinois needed others to step up. Murdock could be crucial again as the Illini (2-0) head to North Carolina (1-1) on Saturday for their first road game of the season.
Murdock, a sophomore from Arlington, Texas, ranks second on the team behind Geronimo Allison with eight catches for 93 yards and two touchdowns receptions. He caught a 5-yard pass from backup quarterback Chayce Crouch in the fourth quarter of last weekend's 44-0 victory against Western Illinois and also scooped up a blocked punt and ran it in for a score.
He played in just four games last season after redshirting his first season in Champaign.
"When you redshirt, you think it's a gravy train," Illinois interim coach Bill Cubit said. "His second year, he probably did not progress the way we would like. We were kind of hard on him. It all paid off. He came back a lot more focused."
Last season, Murdock had only one catch. But it was a big one.
His 17-yard reception gave the Illini a first down on a game-winning drive against Penn State.
"It actually probably fueled me more," he said. "I was just working extremely hard. I came back and people were saying I was a different person."
Cubit said the most noticeable difference with Murdock is his maturity. Murdock agrees, noting that he now knows the playbook like "the back of my hand."
"Last year I was on the sideline," he said. "My dad was telling me I was like a lion in a cage. On game day, I'm always fired up and I'm always ready. Now when I'm playing, it's satisfying to help my teammates and help my team win. It's the greatest feeling going out there and playing games with guys you love."
sryan@tribpub.com
