Tag: maalik murphy

Former Texas QB finds his third new team through the Transfer Portal

Former Texas QB Maalik Murphy has found his new team. For the second year in a row, Murphy is on the move through the transfer portal.

Duke transfer quarterback Maalik Murphy has committed to Oregon State, his third team in three years. After a great year at Duke, Murphy was a surprise entrance into the NCAA transfer portal. Murphy was Quinn Ewers backup last season at Texas.

Murphy, who has two years of eligibility left, led the Blue Devils to 9-3 record. He will not play in Duke’s Gator Bowl matchup with Ole Miss.

Landing Murphy was a transfer portal recruiting win for Duke coach Manny Diaz. Murphy picked the Blue Devils over Oregon State, South Carolina and Baylor. This year, the Southern California native passed for 2,933 yards.

Diaz has nothing but love for Murphy, “I’ve got a ton of respect for Maalik Murphy. Our story as a program, it doesn’t happen this way without Maalik. He’s been everything we could have hoped for and more in his time with us. I’m excited for him and his future and I’m glad we were part of each other’s story.”

Murphy was the backup at Texas last year and started two games in relief of an injured Quinn Ewers, throwing for 477 yards and three TDs. His most memorable game was a 33-30 OT win over Kansas State in Austin. The Wildcats were led by current Ohio State QB Will Howard.

 

Former Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy announces his transfer portal destination

Former Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy, who hit the transfer portal after the regular season, announced his next school on Thursday.

Former Duke quarterback [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag] announced his commitment to the Oregon State Beavers on Thursday, as first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Murphy, who started his collegiate career with the Texas Longhorns, transferred to the Blue Devils ahead of the 2024 season. He started all 12 regular-season games for the program, helping lead four fourth-quarter comebacks in a 9-3 campaign.

He set a school record with 26 passing touchdowns, including a 39-yarder to senior star Jordan Moore on the final play against Wake Forest in the finale. The score put the finishing touches on a 14-point comeback, helping the Blue Devils sweep their in-state rivals for the first time since 2013.

Murphy ended the year with 2,933 passing yards, the seventh-most of any ACC quarterback, and he averaged 286.4 yards per game with 14 total touchdowns over his final five starts.

The Blue Devils already landed Tulane’s Darian Mensah from the portal, but he won’t be eligible for next month’s TaxSlayer Gator Bowl against Ole Miss. With sophomore Grayson Loftis also in the portal, Henry Belin IV should get the majority of the work at quarterback for the Blue Devils.

Wake Forest becomes second ACC football team in North Carolina to undergo coaching change

A second in-state Duke football rival will hire a new coach after Wake Forest’s Dave Clawson made the decision to step down.

Wake Forest football coach Dave Clawson will step away from his position at the helm of the Demon Deacons, according to a Monday report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Clawson finished the 2024 season with a second straight 4-8 record, and Wake Forest has won three conference games over the past two seasons. He led the Demon Deacons to seven straight bowl appearances from 2016-22, including an 11-win season in 2021, but the program failed to find its footing since the transfer of longtime quarterback Sam Hartman.

“Clawson is expected to remain with the university in an advisory role,” Thamel wrote, “and the decision to step down was his.”

Clawson will end his 11-year tenure with a 67-69 record, the third-most wins in program history, and no other Wake Forest coach can match his five bowl victories.

The timing of this decision means his final game as head coach will be the Week 14 loss to Duke when [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag] threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to [autotag]Jordan Moore[/autotag] on the final play of the game, the final touch on a 14-point comeback.

Wake Forest becomes the second ACC school within the state to need a new head football coach. The North Carolina Tar Heels fired Mack Brown, the winningest coach in school history, after a 6-6 season, but UNC already found legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick to replace him.

None of the USA TODAY Sports experts pick Duke to beat Ole Miss in TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

Duke football should know how to be an underdog on the football field, but USA TODAY Sports experts aren’t high on its chances vs. Ole Miss.

The Duke Blue Devils have never exactly fit the mold as favorites on the football field, but the expert panel at USA TODAY Sports seems especially pessimistic about their chances against Ole Miss.

All six writers picked the Rebels to dispatch Duke on Friday, one of just 12 sweeps among the 39 listed matchups.

The Blue Devils ended the regular season with nine wins, the same number as Ole Miss, but their SEC counterparts spent the entire year in College Football Playoff contention. If not for an overtime loss to the LSU Tigers or a Week 13 upset at the hands of the Florida Gators, both away from home, Lane Kiffin could very well have his team in the postseason bracket.

On top of that, Duke starting quarterback [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag] announced his decision to enter the transfer portal on Monday with backup Grayson Loftis making the same choice one day later. Murphy threw for a program-record 26 passing touchdowns this season, and while Tulane’s Darian Mensah has already committed in his place, he won’t be eligible for the game.

Duke’s bowl battle kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time on January 2.

Duke’s bowl matchup with Ole Miss rated as one of the least exciting by USA TODAY Sports

Duke football has pulled off some miracles this season, but the latest USA TODAY Sports bowl rankings doesn’t see many upcoming fireworks.

The Duke Blue Devils could put the finishing touches on their second 10-win season in school history at the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl next month, but USA TODAY Sports writer Eddie Timanus doesn’t see much to get excited about in the postseason battle.

Timanus ranked all 35 bowl games on the college football schedule on Friday, and he thinks Duke’s game against Ole Miss is the third-worst pairing on the slate.

He cited the absence of starting quarterback [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag], who declared for the transfer portal on Monday, as a contributing factor. While the Blue Devils did grab a commitment from former Tulane star Darian Mensah on Wednesday, he won’t be eligible to play in Jacksonville.

Ole Miss also finished with a 9-3 record, but the Rebels finished within the top seven in scoring offense and defense as they remained in the College Football Playoff hunt until Week 13.

If the Duke faithful want some bragging rights, however, Timanus put the North Carolina Tar Heels game against the Connecticut Huskies at the lowest spot on his list.

Duke’s game against Ole Miss kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time on January 2.

‘I like what I see so far’: Maalik Murphy enjoys recent visit to Auburn

Auburn made quite the impression on Murphy during his two-day visit.

Duke transfer quarterback [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag]’s recent visit to Auburn is credited as a success.

Auburn was the first stop on Murphy’s quest to find a new home after a successful redshirt freshman season at Duke. Murphy spent two days exploring Auburn’s campus and football facilities and meeting Auburn’s coaching staff. Murphy spoke with the media during his visit, where he broke down his positive experience on the Plains.

“This has been great,” Murphy said Wednesday. “Being here, being able to meet all the coaches, and be around the facilities, see the place for my first time. I’ve never been to Auburn before, and I like what I see so far.”

While on campus, Murphy spent time getting to know Auburn’s coaches and learning how he would be used in the offense should he sign with the Tigers. He listed that aspect of the visit as a positive as well.

“That’s huge for a quarterback, being able to relate to his head coach, and him being the guy that’s calling your play,” Murphy said. “So it’s been good to see it and kind of take mental notes of how I can see myself in the offense and produce.”

Murphy passed for nearly 3,000 yards and 26 touchdowns for Duke in 2024, his lone season following his transfer from Texas. According to Adam Cole of The Montgomery Advertiser, Murphy’s only scheduled visit so far and there is no timetable for a commitment. Auburn is looking to fill the void left behind by two-year starter [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag], as well as departing transfers [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag] and [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag]. Auburn is also scheduled to host Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold for a visit this week.

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ESPN gives Duke less than a 17% chance to beat Ole Miss in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

The Blue Devils face Ole Miss in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl this January, and the ESPN Matchup Predictor isn’t on the Duke’s side.

The Duke Blue Devils and Ole Miss Rebels will enter the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl with the same record, but ESPN Analytics doesn’t see the two programs as evenly matched.

The ESPN Matchup Predictor gives Duke a 16.9% chance to upset the SEC program and win a 10th game for the second time in school history.

The Rebels remained in College Football Playoff contention for much of the season, knocking themselves down the ladder with a 20-17 loss to the Kentucky Wildcats and an overtime road defeat to the LSU Tigers, but a home win over the Georgia Bulldogs kept them alive with two games left on the schedule. The Florida Gators eventually closed the door on Ole Miss with a 24-17 upset in Week 13, dropping the Rebels down to 8-3 and ending their postseason hopes.

Despite the losses, it’s easy to argue Ole Miss rivaled the ceiling of any of its conference opponents. The Rebels finished seventh in scoring offense (37.5) points per game, ended up fourth in scoring defense (13.9), and led the nation with 52 sacks and 116 tackles for loss.

However, the Blue Devils have found ways to win almost every game on their schedule. Despite the ESPN Football Power Index projecting a 6-6 season, Duke erased four fourth-quarter deficits to finish 9-3. With quarterbacks [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag] and Grayson Loftis in the transfer portal, however, they might need more magic for a final win.

Former Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy writes his goodbye to the Blue Devils and fans

Former Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy shared his goodbye to Blue Devils fans after his decision to enter the transfer portal.

[autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag] and the Duke football fans may not have expected their union to last a single season, but the 2024 starting quarterback let the Blue Devils faithful know what they meant to him on Wednesday morning.

Roughly 36 hours after the initial announcement that Murphy would enter the transfer portal for the second time in two offseasons, he shared a short statement to social media to thank Duke fans for their support over the past four months.

“Blue Devil Nation, thank you for this amazing chapter in my life,” Murphy wrote. “It was one I can always remember and learn from. Thank you for your love and support throughout the highs and lows this season, it’s been a pleasure playing in Wally Wade.”

Despite his decision to leave the program, several of Murphy’s teammates let the world know they still loved their quarterback. Star wideout [autotag]Jordan Moore[/autotag] and All-ACC defensive back [autotag]Chandler Rivers[/autotag], among others, made sure to share supportive messages as he seeks his next home.

Murphy threw for 2,933 yards and a program-record 26 touchdowns this season, completing 60.3% of his passes. The former Texas Longhorns quarterback played his best football at the end of the season, averaging 286.4 passing yards and scoring 14 total touchdowns in the final five games.

Former Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah announced his commitment to the Blue Devils on Wednesday morning.

Top transfer portal quarterback Darian Mensah commits to Duke football

The Duke Blue Devils found their 2025 quarterback when former Tulane star Darian Mensah committed to the program on Wednesday.

Former Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah must have been pretty impressed with his Tuesday visit with the Blue Devils, because he told ESPN reporter Pete Thamel on Wednesday that he’d committed to play for Duke next season.

Mensah, a 6-foot-3 redshirt freshman, threw for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns in 13 games with the Green Wave this season. He picked up 9.5 yards per attempt and completed 65.9% of his passes while only throwing six interceptions, and he added 132 yards and another score on the ground.

Duke’s newest quarterback finished with a trio of 300-yard games last season, including a career-high 342 yards against Kansas State back in Week 2, and he threw multiple touchdown passes in eight different games. Tulane ended the year with a 9-4 record, reaching the American Athletic Conference Championship Game.

As of Wednesday morning, Mensah was 247Sports’ No. 6 quarterback in the portal, but ESPN graded him as the best overall player available on Tuesday night.

Mensah helps rebuild a Duke quarterback room that last starter [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag] and sophomore [autotag]Grayson Loftis[/autotag] to the transfer portal over the previous 48 hours. Murphy threw for a program-record 26 touchdowns this season while Loftis started five games for the Blue Devils in 2023.

Former Duke QB Maalik Murphy to visit Auburn this week

Murphy threw 26 touchdowns and passed for nearly 3,000 yards for the Duke Blue Devils in 2024.

Auburn football hopes to improve its quarterback room ahead of the 2025 season and is reaching out to several experienced targets to fill the void.

One candidate is former Duke quarterback [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag], who entered the transfer portal following a successful first season as the Blue Devils’ starting quarterback in 2024. Multiple reporters from 247Sports, including Tom Loy and Matt Zenitz, reported Tuesday that Murphy will visit the Plains on Wednesday.

Murphy originally signed with Texas as part of its 2022 signing class. He was a four-star rated quarterback from 247Sports and was the No. 9 quarterback in a class that included Georgia‘s Gunner Stockton, Penn State‘s Drew Allar, and Clemson‘s Cade Klubnik. After falling behind talented quarterbacks Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning, Murphy transferred to Duke, immediately becoming the starting quarterback.

In his only season in Durham, Murphy led the Blue Devils to a 9-3 record behind a 2,993-yard, 26 touchdown season. He passed for at least 200 yards in all but one game for the Blue Devils and threw multiple touchdown passes in nine games this season.

Auburn has been linked to several quarterbacks, including Stanford’s Ashton Daniels. Hugh Freeze and staff will need to bring in at least two quarterbacks this window, with Daniels being seen as the “backup option.” This leaves one spot open for an experienced quarterback who can start immediately. Murphy is a candidate for that role following a strong season at Duke.

Outside of Auburn, Miami is another strong player in the recruitment of Murphy says Pete Nakos of On3.

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