PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – If you are the guy with the game’s only turnover on a highlight reel catch, usually it would get a lot of attention. When the quarterback sets a conference record for touchdown passes, corner Rashan Murray’s leaping interception didn’t get much play. But for the form Obama Academy graduate, it was part of fulfilling a dream.
“The ball was thrown,” Murray said. “I heard my sideline, everyone was screaming ‘ball’. Turned my head, ball was there, went up and got it.”
Simple enough, but it doesn’t account for the long journey to get back on the field. The underdog from the City League missed all but three games of last season due to injury, but his first game in 2026, he gets an interception.
“My family was hyped, my teammates were hyped, everyone was hyped, for sure,” Murray said.
Murray totaled one tackle and one pass breakup all last season after staring at California University of Pennsylvania earning first-team all-conference and second-team All-American honors finishing with 75 tackles, two forced fumbles, a couple of blocked kicks with 25 pass breakups and four interceptions in 32 games.
That averages to nearly every game Murray got his hand on a pass.
“That’s what he is, he has great ball skills,” said Pitt defensive backs coach Archie Collins. “He came with us with some accolades and a lot of those accolades were utilizing his hands. That’s what I’m on him about, making sure he trusts his ability to go up and get the ball because I have no doubt that’s who he is.”
To use that ability, he has to be on the field. Murray said he’s now taking advantage of the facilities Pitt football provides, from the nutritional aspect, to extra film study, but especially the training staff.
It was hard for Murray dealing with injuries last year. This season he’s taking better care of his body, he makes it a priority.
“To this day, I’m in the training room early in the morning, after practice, I leave and then come back,” Murray said. “Taking care of my body so I can be available to be out there.”
“Best ability is availability.”-Murray said quoting Collins.
“I can’t make plays if I’m not out there.”
When he’s out there, not just when he makes an interception, more than just his family notices. A former star for the combined roster that makes up University Prep, those from his team, school and his neighborhood are aware of what he is doing.
“A lot of people from the city reach out to me and are really proud of me,” Murray said. “Not a lot of guys do that from where I’m from. They are definitely proud of me.”
Murray is proud of his City League roots, saying ‘it’s big for me’. He said he’s friends with another former City League player who played at Pitt, defensive lineman Dayon Hayes. They talk a lot, and his advice is to just keep working.
It’s what has gotten him to this point.
Murray had a lot of takeaways and disruptive plays during the 2026 Pitt fall training camp, it carried over to the field Saturday.
“He’s come a long way,” Collins said. “I’m very encouraged where he is.”
“I’m honestly a big Pitt fan, before I got here I always wanted to be at Pitt,” Murray said.
The Panthers Insider Show with Pat Bostick starts coverage at 8a Saturday, then Panthers pregame at 12:30 with Bob Pompeani, Dorin Dickerson and Johnny Petrisihen, followed by network pregame with Pat Bostick and kickoff at 3:30 against UCF with the Voice of the Panthers Bill Hillgrove on 93.7 The Fan.
University Prep corner talks pride of playing for Panthers
University Prep corner talks pride of playing for Panthers
