Maalik Murphy’s Transfer Request Puts Arch Manning in Spotlight as Longhorns’ Primary Backup for CFP

Texas Longhorns have suffered a major setback days prior to playoffs. Their primary backup QB Maalik Murphy has now thrown his hat in the portal. This leaves freshman Arch Manning to be the primary backup to Ewers in case of an injury during the playoffs. Murphy released a statement that he was going for the portal because of the lack of playing opportunities with the Longhorns.

Interesting times lie ahead for Manning as he becomes the 2nd QB in the current Longhorns setup. He’d get loads of opportunities to learn from senior Quinn Ewers and even better his own game just watching from the sidelines. But does this jeopardize the Longhorns’ chances at the playoffs?

Maalik Murphy enters the portal, puts the Longhorns in a spot

The Texas Longhorns have been one of the most consistent teams going forth in the current NCAA season. Their starting QB Quinn Ewers led the team to a great season, prompting the second-string Murphy to go ahead in the transfer portal. He said, “I hate it, I hate it, I’m super invested in this team. Everything that we’ve done along the way and all the work we’ve put in together. It’s hard to walk away, especially at this point during the season.”

Murphy, the primary QB to Quinn Ewers in the 2023 season got to play only two games when Ewers was suffering a shoulder injury. Murphy had a great record in those games as he completed 477 yards, three touchdowns, and as many interceptions. Originally, Ewers was rumored to be declaring for his NFL draft coming season, but now he’s staying on for another year.

Murphy has 3 years of eligibility left in his college career and became a highly sought-after athlete immediately after entering the portal. His decision wasn’t entirely unexpected with Ewers returning for another season and Manning waiting in the wings for his chance to shine. However, this means that the Longhorns are entering the playoffs without their most experienced backup on the team.

Arch Manning’s record with the Longhorns

Rookie QB is still in the nascent stage of his career and could learn a lot from Ewers. Similarly to Murphy, Manning too got just two games under his belt this season. The young QB made his debut through the very end of the season for the Longhorns against Texas Tech. There he completed 2 out of 5 passes for 30 yards and ran for 7 yards in a 57-7 win for the Longhorns.

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If Ewers does miss time against Washington, Manning will be thrown into meaningful action for the first time — with a national championship at stake. Manning doesn’t have a lot of experience with college football, and none within the playoff structure. This decision could be very costly for the Longhorns if Ewers has to exist the game for any reason.

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