Eric Brock was talking about running back Chad Murphy the other day when he unlocked a strong box deep in my memory bank.

Murphy is a sophomore running back who led Haskell Indian Nations University’s football team in rushing last season. In fact, Murphy’s 970 yards paced the Central States Football League and earned him all-league honors.

When Brock, now in his third season as HINU’s coach, told me Murphy was a son of one of the Murphy triplets, I did a double-take because I remembered watching the Murphys play.

Back in the mid-’70s, when Haskell still was a junior college, from time to time I would go out to claustrophobic Tecumseh Gym — it’s still there, by the way — and watch coach Wayne Postoak’s basketball teams play juco and junior varsity teams.

Postoak had some talented squads in those days — one year he even knocked off the Kansas University JV — particularly when he had the Murphy triplets on his roster. To this day, I’ve never seen another team in any sport with triplets so those were unusual days indeed.

The Murphys, who had played high school ball in Oklahoma City, were guards. Donald and Harold were identical and specialized in disrupting offenses with their quickness. Ronald, the fraternal triplet, was about an inch taller and wasn’t, as I recall, quite as talented as his two brothers, but nevertheless was an effective performer.

Anyway, when I sat down to interview Chad Murphy the other day, he looked only slightly surprised when I asked him which of the triplets was his dad.

“Donald,” he replied.

Then he proceeded to tell me that Harold and Ronald also had sent offspring to Haskell. Harold’s daughter Sarah played basketball for the Indians a few years ago, and a couple of Ronald’s sons were on the HINU golf team.

Haskell Indians Nations University football coach Eric Brock, center, stands with freshman defensive back Coy Murphy, left, and sophomore running back Chad Murphy. The trio posed following practice Tuesday at Haskell Stadium. The Murphys' father, Donald, and his two twin brothers played basketball for the Fightin' Indians in the 1970s.

If it sounds like Haskell has become a legacy school for this generation of Murphys, it’s only because it has. Heck, even Chad’s younger brother Coy has enrolled. He’s a freshman defensive back.

Chad Murphy did not start at HINU, however. After leading Norman (Okla.) High in rushing in 2001, he enrolled at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, a noted junior college football power, and red-shirted during the 2002 season. Then he showed up at Haskell last August.

“I just have had a lot of family go here, and it just seemed like the right for me,” he said. “It just seemed right to come here.”

Brock wasted no time inserting Murphy into the backfield, and the 5-foot-9, 210-pounder became more and more of a factor. In the season finale — a 16-14 win over Langston — Murphy carried the ball 41 times for 125 yards and a touchdown.

“I remember talking on the headset with our offensive coordinator,” Brock said, “and him telling me he’d like to live or die with Chad. He’ll make three or four yards every time he carries the ball.”

A speed-burner Murphy isn’t.

“I’m just quick,” Murphy said with a smile. “I can get around end, but if it’s a foot race they’ll catch me.”

Murphy carried the ball an average of 27 times a game last season. That’s a lot of punishment, yet he didn’t miss a game despite some nagging knee and ankle ailments.

The Murphy triplets, from left, Harold, Donald and Ronald pose with former Haskell Indian Nations University men's basketball coach Wayne Postoak. The Murphys were standouts on Postoak's teams in the mid-'70s. Donald Murphy is the father of current HINU football players Chad and Coy Murphy.

“He’s a workhorse, and he never complained once,” Brock said. “He’s durable and a good kid. He never takes a play off, not even in practice.”

Now Murphy says he has added 10 pounds to his frame after lifting weights most of the summer. You don’t have to tell him he came within only 30 yards last season of reaching the magical rushing plateau.

“I’d like to hit 1,000 yards this season and help the team win,” he said. “What I really want is a conference championship. I was happy I made all-conference, but I’d rather have that conference championship.”

Haskell has been predicted to finish fifth in the six-team CSFL this fall, yet the Indians are coming off a 3-6 record — the school’s best since it became a four-year school — and optimism is high.

An additional two games have been added to the schedule, giving the Indians 11 games for the first time since 2001 so a four- or five-win season might be more realistic.