The quarterback situation for the Texas Longhorns is currently being handled by Quinn Ewers, while Arch Manning is expected to be the team’s future star in Austin.
What does that signify for Maalik Murphy’s tenure at Forty Acres, then?
Murphy needs to examine himself closely in the mirror over the next few weeks. Murphy was courted by numerous schools with NIL checks, but he decided to stay for another season. His time with the program isn’t over, even if he decides to stay with the Longhorns for the rest of the 2023 campaign.
He is not alone among quarterbacks who have been in his position. As the realization dawns that climbing the depth chart may require relocating, dozens of second-team passers are experiencing the same kind of thinking.
Murphy finds himself in a difficult situation. Ewers appears likely to run it back with Steve Sarkisian in 2024 when Texas joins the SEC. He is eligible to enter the draft in April. Manning, the former top-ranked quarterback recruit of 2022, has no plans to move as long as Sarkisian continues to lead the program.
Promote yourself
If Ewers sticks around, he’ll need to prevent Manning from becoming the starting quarterback through fall training. If he performs similarly in the SEC, or even better, he will undoubtedly generate first-round buzz coming into the 2025 offseason. Additionally, Manning will have two years of mental training under his belt in Sarkisian’s staff, so the initial transition should be easy.
How come? Do you really believe that the nephew of two Hall of Fame quarterbacks won’t find the physical reps easy?
Murphy is not a flawless player, but he has potential. The cannon he calls an arm is attached to his shoulder and holds oodles of unrealized potential. Longhorn country got a glimpse of what might have happened if Ewers suffered a blow against Houston and missed the rest of the campaign.
Murphy completed a career-high 64 percent of passes for two touchdowns against BYU. He guided Texas to six scoring drives in the game against Kansas State, and in the opening quarter, he connected with Adonai Mitchell for a 37-yard touchdown.
