Maalik Murphy, a quarterback for they Texas Longhorns, believed that he had to use the transfer portal in the midst of his team’s College Football Playoff run in order to prioritize his career.
Maalik Murphy, the beloved backup quarterback for Texas and a fan favorite, was reportedly going to sign his name on the transfer portal on Wednesday.
The decision was made in response to multiple reports over the past few months suggesting that both five-star rookie quarterback Arch Manning and starting quarterback Quinn Ewers will return in 2024.
Murphy’s choice makes sense in the long run for his career because he isn’t gaining the experience or game time he needs from sitting behind Ewers for what would be his third season.
However, it would be unfair to Murphy and the team if he tried to locate his next destination given that the portal closes on January 2 and Texas’s Sugar Bowl game versus Washington is on January 1. If he wasn’t in the portal, it would also be clearly against the rules for teams to make official contact with him. However, it would be unfair to Murphy and the team if he tried to locate his next destination given that the portal closes on January 2 and Texas’s Sugar Bowl game versus Washington is on January 1. If he wasn’t in the portal, it would also be clearly against the rules for teams to make official contact with him.
“I would like to say thank you to all of Texas and the entire Longhorn community,” Murphy stated on X. “For taking me as one of your own, a West Coast kid, and supporting and loving me. I will always cherish the time I spent on the 40 Acres. I’m really appreciative that I got to play in the burned orange.”
After Ewers sustained an injury, Murphy, a four-star prospect when he arrived in Texas, ended up starting two games this season.
He concluded the season with 477 throwing yards for three touchdowns and three interceptions, leading the Longhorns to victories in both.
