MILWAUKEE — Pat Murphy says he couldn’t have imagined going directly from coaching in the college ranks to managing in the major leagues.

But the Milwaukee Brewers skipper — who previously worked as a head coach at Arizona State and Notre Dame — is confident Tony Vitello can make a successful transition from coaching the University of Tennessee to managing the San Francisco Giants.

“I’m excited for this guy,” Murphy said. “I hear great things. I’ve met him before, but I’m not close associates with him. I’ve heard great things about him. They have a great team and a great organization, so I think it’s going to work, and I don’t think that can happen a lot. I know I wouldn’t have been ready.”

Murphy’s success has lent credence to the notion that a college coach could thrive as a major lea

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