Texas Names QB Maalik Murphy the Starter Against BYU

Murphy will be making his first career start against BYU

On Thursday, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian announced that backup Maalik Murphy will start for the Longhorns at quarterback against BYU. Starter Quinn Ewers left the game against Houston with a shoulder injury. At the end of the game, Ewers was seen on the sideline with a sling supporting his throwing shoulder.

Ewers has been one of the most productive quarterbacks in the conference this season with 1,915 yards and 13 touchdowns to just 3 interceptions. Texas is inexperienced at quarterback behind Ewers. Redshirt freshman Maalik Murphy won the backup job during Spring ball and Arch Manning has taken reps in practice as well. It was Murphy that came off the bench against Houston.

Texas QB Maalik Murphy drops back to pass against Houston

In four games played this season, Murphy is 4/8 for 47 yards passing. Those eight pass attempts are the only pass attempts of his collegiate career. Like most players on the Texas roster, Murphy was a coveted recruit coming out of high school. Murphy was a four-star recruit and he picked the Longhorns over competing offers from the biggest schools in the country like Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, Georgia, Florida State and many others.

Arch Manning is another name that could factor in. Manning, a true freshman and former five-star recruit, is the nephew of legendary quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Eli Manning. Manning has not appeared in any games for the Longhorns this season. Manning's recruitment was one of the most nationally-followed recruitments ever.

BYU is no stranger to playing against backup quarterbacks. In the last two games against TCU and Texas Tech, backup quarterbacks have started against BYU. Should Ewers be sidelined due to injury, it would be the third consecutive game in which a backup quarterback has started against BYU.

BYU is a major underdog going into this game at Texas. If the Cougars are going to pull off the upset, the BYU defense will need to force multiple turnovers again. That's where Texas' quarterback situation will come into play. In two games against backup quarterbacks this season, the BYU defense has forced seven turnovers.

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