Maalik Murphy passed his first test as the Texas Longhorns' starting quarterback with flying colors on Saturday afternoon. He completed 16 of 25 passes for 170 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in No. 7 Texas' breezy 35-6 home victory over the BYU Cougars. Murphy was filling in for the injured Quinn Ewers, who may be sidelined for a few more games dealing with a sprained AC joint.
I said on last Monday's episode of False Start that Ewers' latest injury was a blessing in disguise for the Texas program. It will allow for guys like Murphy to make more of their opportunities, give Ewers ample time to recover and assess where he is at heading into the offseason. Ewers could conceivably turn pro, but he could return if he only has a second-round grade or so after his third college season.
Even though I think Murphy is better than him, the Longhorns will almost certainly convince themselves somehow that Arch Manning should be the Week 1 starter in 2024 for Texas as its enters SEC play. To me, Manning has to earn it. If this starting job is handed to him on a silver platter, then I am fading the Longhorns next year more than I do an Alex Grinch defense or a Brian Ferentz offense.
Should starting opportunities not be available to Murphy next year at Texas, I would look elsewhere.
Maalik Murphy transfer portal: 3 destinations for the Texas QB in 2024
3. Florida Gators need an upgrade over Graham Mertz to go anywhere
After watching the latest rendition of the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, it is abundantly clear what Florida must do to try and keep pace with Georgia in the SEC standings. A lot of it has to do with Gators head coach Billy Napier making smarter decisions in critical spots and not letting things snowball on him and his team. Another is the play of transfer quarterback Graham Mertz...
I will admit, Mertz is much better than he was during his three previous seasons at Wisconsin. Although he still has one more year of eligibility left if he does not want the COVID year to count, he looked so out of sorts at times under center vs. an improving Georgia pass rush. Murphy may have only played a game at home vs. BYU, but he has that certain dynamism to make plays in big spots.
While he may not have the pedigree or blue-chip accolades of a Ewers or a Manning, this guy can play. Murphy is the type of player who could conceivably transfer to an SEC team before spring practice and completely turn a middling program around. You have to believe other places besides Florida could be interested in him. If the Gators do not get, maybe he goes to a rival like Kentucky?
With Texas going to the SEC next year anyway, it would not be shocking if Murphy made the leap, too.
2. Oregon Ducks will need to find a new starter after Bo Nix ages out
Even though Murphy plays for Texas, he is a West Cost kid at heart. He hails from Gardena, California, close to Los Angeles. Although the USC Trojans are likely pivoting off their starting quarterback Caleb Williams next season once he turns pro, they have a successor in the form of Malachi Nelson. With UCLA in a good spot with Dante Moore, what about Murphy going to Oregon to replace Bo Nix?
Oregon's Heisman Trophy hopeful will be turning pro after this season once he ages out. Unlike Ewers, he has asserted himself as a top-32 selection in next spring's 2024 NFL Draft. He could conceivably be the third quarterback taken behind Williams and North Carolina's Drake Maye. Nix may have lost the earlier matchup to Michael Penix Jr.'s Washington Huskies, but Las Vegas is still in play.
Even though Oregon head coach Dan Lanning has recruited under Nix, nothing will be given in Eugene. Murphy has already had to battle for every snap he has gotten at Texas thus far. While the Ducks are moving to the Big Ten as well, they might be in a better position to compete right away in their new league than even Texas. There are few programs on the rise quite like Oregon is these days.
Oregon going from Nix to Murphy in Lanning's first three years in Eugene would be very impressive.
1. Auburn Tigers need a spark, Hugh Freeze knows how to use the portal
While Florida and Oregon could certainly use Murphy as a starting quarterback candidate in 2024, the team I really think he would flourish on would be Auburn. It would be year two for Hugh Freeze down on The Plains. He may have his critics, but he is a good head coach and has won everywhere he has been before. Getting a player of Murphy's skill set could work wonders in Auburn's improving offense.
The other thing you have to remember about Freeze is two of his greatest quarterbacks were transfers in Bo Wallace at Ole Miss and Malik Willis at Liberty. Wallace was a JUCO transfer, while Willis briefly played ... at Auburn. Murphy may not live up to the hype he is starting to garner after his first Texas start and victory over BYU, but there is clearly something there with him as a quarterback.
The biggest thing Auburn needs to do under Freeze in the next year or two is flip the roster a bit. Because of how poorly his predecessor Bryan Harsin recruited, he left a barren cupboard for Freeze to cook with. Well, you can't cook with nothing. By looking at a quarterback like Murphy in the transfer portal, Auburn has a chance to be three or more wins better than they probably will be at this season.
Being a Georgia fan, Murphy to Auburn makes me feel uncomfortable, so that feels like a good thing.