University of Tennessee Athletics
Former Vols Footballer Armstrong Dies in West Tennessee
November 30, 2008 | Football
Nov. 30, 2008
Murray Armstrong, a two-way football end for Tennessee in the late 1950s and longtime Memphis Tigers employee, died Saturday at his home in Somerville after a long battle against cancer. He was 71.
Armstrong remains the last Tennessee player to score on both sides of the ball in the same game. He turned the feat Oct. 4, 1958, against Mississippi State at Memphis' Crump Stadium, earning SEC Player of the Week honors for his efforts. Armstrong scored first on defense, returning an interception for 53 yards. He later added a 15-yard touchdown pass to seal Tennessee's 13-8 victory.
An end for the Volunteers from 1955-59, Armstrong was a three-year letterman for head coach Bowden Wyatt working on both the offense and defense. The UT graduate was named first team Academic All-SEC in 1958.
Armstrong went on to serve 46 years in the Memphis athletics department in numerous capacities, including service under eight head football coaches. Armstrong began his coaching career at Memphis in 1962 under former head coach Billy J. Murphy, who also died earlier this year. During his tenure at Memphis, Armstrong worked under eight presidents, four athletics directors, nine head coaches and worked alongside 126 of the 146 total football assistant coaches in the school's history.
He began his career assigned as an assistant coach with the freshman team in 1962 and for the next 46 years became inextricably linked with the Tigers football program.
Wherever assistance was needed, Armstrong was quick to serve. He progressed from working as an assistant freshman coach to being the head freshman coach, compiling several undefeated seasons. Armstrong took over the duties of varsity defensive end coach and later became the kicking and special teams coach. In addition to his on-field responsibilities, Armstrong served as the team's academic advisor and the administrative aide and special assistant to the head coach.
While serving the Tigers football team as a coach and administrator, Armstrong and his wife, Joan, managed the athletics dormitory for 33 years, becoming a second family for hundreds of student-athletes. After his many years of service as a football coach, dorm director and counselor, Armstrong took on the responsibility of managing the Billy J. Murphy Athletic Complex, a position he held until his death.
A Somerville native, Armstrong graduated from Fayette County High School in 1955. He played both offensive and defensive end for the Panthers but also was known around the Mid-South as an amateur tennis star.
During his storied career, Armstrong has received numerous awards and honors. He was inducted into Memphis' M Club Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. The Memphis football practice fields at the Murphy Athletic Complex were named in his honor and dedicated on August 14, 1998. In September 2008, Armstrong became the first recipient of an award named in his honor, The Murray Armstrong Award, which will be presented annually to a coach or administrator who has dedicated his or her career to the service of the university.
Armstrong is survived by his wife Joan, sons Sterritt, 40, and Brence, 34. Sterritt was a 1990 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, where he lettered for four years in football. Brence graduated from the University of Memphis, where he played for his father and lettered in football as the team's deep snapper.
Courtesy University of Memphis Sports Information.
