Texas backup quarterback Maalik Murphy intends to enter the transfer portal and won’t be with the Longhorns during the College Football Playoff, according to two reports from ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Wednesday.
“It’s nothing against Texas at all,” Murphy said in Thamel’s tweet. “I’m doing this purely for me and my future.”
Murphy has served as the Longhorns’ second quarterback this season. The freshman, a four-star prospect out of high school, got two full games at the helm of the Texas offense this season as starter Quinn Ewers recovered from a shoulder injury. Against BYU and Kansas State, Murphy completed 35 of 62 passes for 418 yards with three touchdowns and interceptions apiece.
The Longhorns won both of his starts, including a 33-30 victory over Kansas State in overtime.
Maalik Murphy told ESPN he’s not going to be with the Longhorns in the College Football Playoff. He would have preferred to stay through the season, but the timing did not allow it. Murphy told ESPN: “It’s nothing against Texas at all. I’m doing this purely for me and my future.…
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 13, 2023
The news of Murphy leaving the program comes after weeks of growing rumors that starting quarterback Quinn Ewers plans to return to Texas for the 2024 season. Murphy’s departure leaves vaunted five-star freshman Archie Manning as the presumed backup behind Ewers.
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