Lessons in toughness: The rise of Stanford linebacker Trent Murphy

A first-team All-Pac-12 selection last year, Stanford's Trent Murphy (93) already has 9.5 sacks in 2013.

Mike Groll/AP

Murphy attended Brophy College Prep, a private Jesuit high school in Phoenix. During the football team's run to the 2005 state championship, coach Scooter Molander called up Murphy, then a lanky freshman, to play defensive end on the scout team. "Play after play after play, he would take on our offensive line, which averaged 265 pounds that year," said Molander. "He didn't have enough mass in his body to take that on and survive for five weeks, but he did, because he's tough."

Stanford's Trent Murphy (left) and Ben Gardner teamed up to tackle Army quarterback Angel Santiago during the teams' Sept. 14 matchup.

Ron Antonelli/Getty Images