Chris Murray, a fifth-year senior linebacker at Auburn, is stepping into a vital role following an injury to teammate JJ Faulk during preseason camp. With the season opener against Baylor on September 5, Murray is making a strong case for more playing time, competing with Da'Shawn Womack and Jared Smith.
Auburn's coach, Alex Golesh, has praised Murray's performance, particularly noting his impressive recovery after missing the first week and a half of camp due to injury. Golesh remarked, "He's been phenomenal here the last week... He's competing to be one of the two, and these next two days are really, really big for him."
Murray's football career began at TCU in 2021, where he played for two seasons before transferring to Sam Houston State for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He joined Auburn prior to the 2025 season, where he recorded 15 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 3.5 tackles for loss in his first year.
In March, he received a waiver from the NCAA for a sixth year of eligibility, allowing him to join the team late in the spring practice period.
Murray expressed the value of his experience, stating, "I think the biggest blessing for me is that I'm an older guy. I'm a little more experienced with certain things... I can teach these young guys how to move, how to maneuver."
