Texas Longhorns QB Maalik Murphy Plans to Enter Transfer Portal
AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas Longhorns quarterback Maalik Murphy intends to enter the transfer portal, per reports Wednesday from ESPN's college football insider Pete Thamel. He will have three seasons of eligibility left.
Per Thamel, Murphy told ESPN that he won't be with the team when the Longhorns take on the No. 2 Washington Huskies in the College Football Playoff semis at the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day.
“It’s nothing against Texas at all," Murphy told ESPN. "I’m doing this purely for me and my future. In my eyes, I’ll always be a Longhorn and a part of this great team.”
Murphy, a member of Texas' 2022 recruiting class, served as the backup to Quinn Ewers this season and made two starts, both home wins over BYU and Kansas State. Without his contributions in two key conference games, the Longhorns wouldn't be one of four teams in the College Football Playoff right now.
This season, he went 40 of 71 passing for 477 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions.
Maalik Murphy
© Scott Wachter, USA TODAY
Murphy's first-career start ended in a 35-6 win over BYU on Oct. 28. He found Adonai Mitchell for a pair of touchdowns and admitted the confidence that coach Steve Sarkisian had in him was "huge."
“He believed in me,” Murphy said of coach Steve Sarkisian. “If he's able to script that many openers as passes for me in my first start, that kind of just tells me something that he's not letting off the gas and he believes in my ability. So that was huge.”
In a tight 33-30 overtime win against Kansas State the following week on Nov. 4, Murphy had two interceptions but bounced back and made some key throws down the stretch to help Texas survive.
Murphy's departure now means that Arch Manning will backup Ewers against the Washington at the Sugar Bowl.
Texas fans will have to wait and see how things play out in a talented Longhorns quarterback room headed as the end of the season approaches.
