When Tim Murphy looks at the University of Cincinnati football program in 2001, he sees a program that bears only faint resemblance to the one he inherited in 1989 when he took over for the beleaguered Dave Currey.

        “I think they've done a terrific job,” Murphy said. “Conference USA coming to fruition, which was very doubtful when I was there, has been a huge benefit. It really is a legitimate major-college football program.”

        Murphy couldn't say that eight years ago when he was saddled with a team that had only 59 scholarship players and faced the loss of 19 more in the next several years because of NCAA sanctions. Back then, Nippert Stadium was condemned, there was no conference affiliation and barely a trickle of support from the community.

        And while Nippert was being renovated during the next few years, the Bearcats were forced to play 22 of Murphy's first 31 games on the road.

        “We were not even a good I-AA program,” Murphy said. “The Maine team that I left was much better than Cincinnati the first two years.”

        In Murphy's fifth and final season, the Bearcats were 8-3 but didn't receive an invitation to a bowl game, even though teams with lesser records did.

        “That was tremendously frustrating,” Murphy said.

        The former UC coach has done well at Harvard, where he has a 39-37 record. In 1997, the Crimson went 9-1, including 7-0 in the Ivy League. It was the first time Harvard went unbeaten in the Ivy League season.

        This year, with 23 seniors returning from a 5-5 team, the Crimson are 6-0, 4-0 in the conference. Last week, they trailed Dartmouth 21-0 at the half before coming back to win 31-21.

        Even if Harvard finishes the season without a loss, there will be no postseason. Ivy League football teams are not allowed to participate in the Division I-AA playoffs.

        “We have 41 Division I varsity sports at Harvard,” Murphy said. “The most of any school in the country. Forty can go to the NCAA postseason, but we can't. They've never given us a reason. It's not something people generally talk about. It is frustrating.”

UC needs strong finish to solidify bowl bid Minter has put UC on solid footing Murphy knows UC's grown

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