Redskins linebacker Trent Murphy and Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh have a history together that goes back to their time at the University of Stanford.
Harbaugh was the Cardinal head coach from 2007-2010, and was responsible for recruiting and eventually bringing Murphy to Palo Alto, Calif., from Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix.
Thanks to Harbaugh, and his own hard work, Murphy would go on to have an outstanding career at Stanford, as he was named to the All-Pac-12 First team in both 2012 and 2013. Murphy was also a consensus All-American in 2013, and led the NCAA in sacks that year with 15.
Even though Murphy and Harbaugh have went their separate career ways, they've always stayed in close contact with each other. During the Redskins' bye week, Murphy and Harbaugh had a reunion in Michigan, as Harbaugh relayed to the social media world via his Twitter account.
The contact between Murphy and Harbaugh has always been more than cordial, but a few of the times they've been together, it's been on the business side of things.
Last year, Harbaugh tried to bring Murphy's younger brother, Connor, on-board with the Wolverines, and his efforts to get Connor were pretty unusual says Murphy.
"He [Harbaugh] showed up at midnight, right at 12:01 [a.m.] so he wasn't breaking any rules, and he slept over at our house," Murphy said. "He slept in my little sister's bed; she's seven-years-old. It's like a pink room all princessed out, and he was a happy camper, sleeping in there, [and] waking up [and] going to school with my little brother. It was kind of hilarious, and it was cool to be home for it and kind of reunite with my old coach. He's a good guy. He's a character."
It's not hard to see where Murphy gets his fire and desire for the game of football. Just look at the influence Harbaugh's had on him over the years, and it'll come in focus for you.
"I don't know how he does it, or what he puts in his coffee, but he wakes up with as much energy as he goes to bed with," Murphy said. "He's never-ending, like 110-percent, so gotta love his energy and enthusiasm, [which is] unknown to mankind as he would call it."