Murdock to be honored by Middleton football this fall

Posted Aug 4, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated Aug 4, 2012 at 08:42 PM

Middleton football coach Alonzo Ashwood plans to honor the memory of former Middleton star O.J. Murdock this fall by placing a sticker on the helmets of all his players with the initials “O.J.,” Ashwood told the Tampa Tribune on Saturday.

Murdock passed away Monday morning from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound while parked in his car just outside Middleton’s Abe Brown Stadium. He was slated to be at camp with the Tennessee Titans but told the club he had personal issues to deal with and never reported.

Late this week, Ashwood found Murdock’s former No. 3 home and away Middleton football jerseys at the school. Saturday afternoon at Murdock’s funeral services at Calvary Tabernacle, Ashwood presented Murdock’s family with her son’s maroon home jersey.

Ashwood says he plans to present Murdock’s white away jersey at the Tigers’ season opener at home against Hillsborough on Sept. 1 at Abe Brown Stadium.

“It’s just something I feel we have to do to for O.J..” Ashwood said. “We’ll probably retire his number at the end of the season.”