How Patrick Murphy's Message Caused a Ripple Through Alabama Football's Preseason

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Spend any amount of time around the Alabama softball program, and the word "Mudita" will pop up. Head coach Patrick Murphy didn't come up with the word, but he's made sure to implement it throughout his program, leading the team to sixteen Women's College World Series appearances and the 2012 national title.

Mudita is a Buddhist concept of having vicarious joy for someone else's success as if it was your own. It is an unselfish mindset. Murphy spread that message to Alabama basketball in 2024 before the program made its first ever run to the Final Four, and it carried over into the 2026 season.

Earlier this month, he got to share the concept with the Crimson Tide football team at the beginning of the first full week of fall camp.

"Patrick Murphy came in and talked to the team about Mudita, which is a genuine excitement for your teammates, almost more than yourself," Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said back on Aug. 11. "Really it was impactful yesterday when we heard that message, and it was something that we've been talking about and searching for."

The message had an immediate impact on the team according to transfer fifth-year defensive lineman Devan Thompkins.

"After he had that speech in the team meeting, I would say the next practice, you should’ve seen the sidelines," Thompkins said. "They just erupted. Offense and defense. I mean, seven-on-seven periods, goal-line periods, it didn’t matter what it was. The whole sideline just getting really energetic for everybody, and that energy carries throughout the whole team.”

Energy being sustained from the sidelines to the field throughout the entire team has been a big focus for the Alabama coaches during the preseason as the Crimson Tide looks to avoid a Week 1 letdown like it experienced a season ago against Florida State.

"As a defense, we took that as a big thing," junior defensive back Red Morgan said. "These last couple practices, we emphasized energy on the sideline. When another guy makes a play, the whole sideline brings energy. That played a big part in the past couple weeks’ practices.”

Fifth-year safety Keon Sabb said Mudita is the type of mindset the team has always tried to have, but actually having a word for it makes it easier to remember and implement. Being able to celebrate a teammate's success is especially valuable in a team sport like football.

At a place like Alabama, there are 5-star talents at every level of the depth chart. Most players on the roster were the best player on their high school teams and had offers to go anywhere in the country. Mix in varying levels of NIL deals and packagaes, and it can make it a toxic time to be a college football player if a guy thinks he isn't getting the playing time he deserves.

"I think it’s really important truly being happy and wanting to succeed for the person next you," Sabb said. "With this game being 11 guys on the field at a time, you’re not always going to make the play. So having that joy and having that love for the guy next you making it, makes you feel like you made the play. Ultimately, it just raises the level of play for the whole defense.”

Senior linebacker Caleb Woodson has only been around Alabama since January after transferring in from Virginia Tech this offseason. He earned the respect of teammates and coaches alike early in the transition and is considered one of the leaders on the team. He said Murphy's message had a "good effect" on the team as No. 13 Alabama prepares for the season opener against East Carolina on Sept. 5.

"That was a great message from Coach," Woodson said. "Just the fact that when someone does something good, celebrate that. When something’s not going good, still bringing them up. I feel like that’s really been a ripple through our team."

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