Hawks' Murray waited patiently for opportunity

Daniel Murray taught everyone a lesson in perseverance last year.

Iowa's junior kicker was demoted from co-first-team place-kicker days after missing a 35-yard attempt in a one-point loss at Pittsburgh. He was relegated to kickoff duties behind then-freshman Trent Mossbrucker and wondered how he fit in the team's plans.

“I was bummed for about a week or two,” said Murray, an Iowa City Regina graduate.

“But then it kind of got to the point where you've got to put the selfishness aside. I just kept preparing because I always knew I had the capability, and I was going to have to sit and wait for my chance.

“There's nothing I could really do about it until I got the opportunity. I just had to prepare for that opportunity because you only get the one opportunity and if you slip it up, you're kind of done for in general.”

Murray's chance came six games later against No. 3-ranked Penn State. Without warning, Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz summoned Murray - not Mossbrucker - for a last-second field-goal attempt with Iowa trailing by two points. It was a testament to Murray's work ethic that Ferentz put him in position to win the game. Murray said he prepared himself for that situation without knowing he'd get a chance.

“That Penn State game I think I was as focused as I've been in trying to make sure everything was done correctly,” Murray said. “I think it's a matter of reproducing that every time whether it's a PAT or a 25-yard field goal or a game-winner. I think you have to approach everything the same way. You can't take a play off. You've just got to work on that throughout practice.”

Murray had no problem drilling the 31-yard attempt. He slid safely into midfield, fans poured from the stands and Iowa gained its signature moment of the season in a 24-23 win. But none of that comes true had Murray not persevered after his demotion.

“Credit goes to Daniel on that one. He had a great attitude, accepted his role as our kickoff guy, but he's been working hard on the field goals also,” Ferentz said after the game. “The important thing is Danny was ready. He was ready to jump in there and get the job done when he was called upon.”

Murray strengthened his role as the team's field goal kicker the final two weeks and took over all kicking duties for Iowa's Outback Bowl appearance. Murray connected on 6 of 9 field goals last year and hit all 14 extra-point attempts.

Murray enters the season as the odds-on favorite for the position, although he and Mossbrucker are embroiled in a tough competition. Murray, obviously, believes he should be the guy.

“I think I am because I think I'm capable of producing every day,” he said. “I don't really worry about what the coaches think or what the status is. I think it's just a matter of if I go out and produce I expect to be out there.”