Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 56-7vs Lafayette | 3 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | L 14-38vs Maryland | 4 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Total | 7 | 5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#20
Luke Murphy
Senior linebacker for UConn. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 235 lb · Massillon, OH · Massillon Washington HS
CFB Index 26 · #490 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceTransferred Coastal Carolina → UConn for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
7
tackles · 2026
1 TFL
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 tackles, 1 TFL, vs Lafayette
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for UConn. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Kent State in 2020.
- Transferred from Coastal Carolina to UConn in 2026.
Luke Murphy
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. Luke Murphy has played for four head coaches across five seasons and four programs. The receipt: 4 tackles against Maryland — Week 2, 2026.
7 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
6 programs, one constant: he played.
2020
- Signed with Kent State3-star out of Washington
202412 games
The role got bigger.
- Entered the portal
202510 games
- Entered the portal
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
4 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2020–2026
3 coachesPlayed under 3 different head coaches: Jim Mora, Gordon Sammis, and Jason Candle. Multi-era developmental context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to UConn
2025Coastal Carolina
2026UConn
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2020Kent State3-1HC: Sean Lewis · Run-heavy, fast tempo
2022Kent State5-7HC: Sean Lewis · Run-leaning
2024Eastern Michigan5-7HC: Chris Creighton · Run-leaning
2025Coastal Carolina6-7HC: Jeremiah Johnson · Run-leaning
2026UConn1-1HC: Jason Candle · Run-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidenceFading
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 3.5 TKL/g, 0.5 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Jason Candle
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | UConn | 7 | 5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Coastal Carolina | 36 | 24 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Eastern Michigan | 94 | 38 | 5.0 | 0.0 | -- | 1 | -- |
| 2022 | Kent State | 13 | 6 | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2020 | Kent State | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 151 | 74 | 10.5 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 56–7
vs Lafayette
3 TOT · 2 SOLO · 1 TFL
Dominant 49-point win at home against Lafayette.
With K. Osborne — 265 yds · 2 TD · 1 INT · 90 rush yds (8 car) · 2 TD · T. Warner — 43 AVG · 1 IN 20 · 44 LONG
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Sideline-to-Sideline
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Eric Mitchell’s 2021 season.
Matches Eric on
PD rate
TFL rate
Differs from Eric on
Class year (higher)
Solo tackle rate (higher)
Height (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Craig Young's senior season at Kansas (2023).
83%match
Matches Craig on
Tackle volume
Solo tackle rate
Weight
Differs from Craig on
PD rate (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Luke Murphy
The linebacker corps · UConn
- K'Von Sherman93 tackles · 2025
- #20Luke Murphy36 tackles · 2025
- #9Zakaih Saez13 tackles · 2025
- #5Rickey Williams11 tackles · 2025
- #19Ethan Hogg3 tackles · 2025
10 more on the roster · UConn team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology