Quarterbacks tend to flock to Steve Sarkisian. Two have committed to Texas since the former Alabama offensive coordinator took the job. Cole Lourd accepted a preferred walk-on spot, while four-star Maalik Murphy committed in February.
With Hudson Card and Casey Thompson in the midst of a quarterback battle, the future of the room is unknown. When one of the signal-callers loses the job, will they put their name in the transfer portal? True freshman Charles Wright is the only other quarterback on the roster.
According to SEC Network’s Cole Cubelic, Texas may be looking to add another quarterback. When asked about LSU‘s T.J. Finley, Cubelic said to “keep an eye on” the Longhorns alongside Auburn and Penn State. Finley entered the transfer portal on May 6.
Keep an eye on Penn St, Texas & Auburn https://t.co/ti8IwmV6Y7
— Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) May 14, 2021
After only playing for one season, Finley would have four years of eligibility remaining. He completed 57.1% of his passes for 971 yards, five touchdowns, and five interceptions.
With how young Finley is, adding the former three-star could create quite a log jam of playing time. Card or Thompson should remain the starter for two, possibly three seasons.
Texas is also still in pursuit of elite-level quarterbacks Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning. Those two would demand on the field time immediately. Add the hopeful development of Maalik Murphy into the equation and Finley would have another gauntlet of a quarterback room to breakthrough.
Having options at quarterback is never a bad thing in the day and age of the transfer portal. Ja’Quinden Jackson has already transferred out of the program after seeing who had a real shot at the starting job this upcoming year.
Finley was the top quarterback out of Louisiana coming out of the 2020 recruiting class. Overall, he was the No. 21 in-state prospect and No. 499 nationally. Listed as a pro-style quarterback, the 247Sports composite ranked him at No. 19.