Sarkisian: 'You See the Talent' of Longhorns QB Maalik Murphy

Murphy has become the forgotten third name in a tight two-man position battle, but Sarksian has been paying attention.

Who will be the Texas Longhorns starting quarterback in 2022? 

It's the begging question the team and coach Steve Sarkisian have about four weeks to answer before the start of the season. The dilemma is nearly identical to the one the second-year head coach was tasked with handling last August. 

But unlike last year, a promising third name sits deep on the depth chart behind Quinn Ewers and Hudson Card. The only quarterback from Texas' 2022 recruiting class, Maalik Murphy remains an exciting player that fans have grown to adore since he committed in Feb. 2021 due to his dual-threat ability and, maybe hyperbolic, Vince Young comparisons. 

Murphy is still getting back into the swing of things after suffering a severe ankle injury at the end of his high school career in Junipero Serra, Calif., but Sarkisian, often known as a quarterback-friendly coach, has kept close tabs on the young signal-caller.

"It's been a better start," Sarkisian said to the media Thursday. "As I touched on, just missing the frontend of spring ball, missing the frontend of summer, I think it's been a good start for him. You definitely see the talent, the skillset, and the plays that definitely wow you. Now, it's just really drilling down into the system to where he's really comfortable for six, seven, eight, 10 plays in a row ... that's what we're working towards."

Though it's just speculation, Ewers, who seems to be the likeliest candidate to win the starting job based on his performance in the spring game, could potentially push Card to the transfer portal as a result. 

This would slide Murphy in as the backup on the depth chart and would make his role in the quarterback room all the more important. And his highly-regarded skill coming out of high school shows that the potential to succeed is there when his number is called.

One of SI All-American's top recruits in 2022, Murphy's rise to prominence started his sophomore year under center. Murphy graded out as SI99's No. 54 ranked player. He was the No. 7 QB in the class. Last season, he threw for 2,954 yards, 22 touchdowns and 10 interceptions with six rushing scores.

There's also still the daunting task of beating out elite 2023 quarterback Arch Manning for the job once he arrives to campus. But with Manning projected to redshirt his freshman season, Murphy could get his shot to be named QB1, though he'll still have to go through a year of patience before getting his chance. 

His mental growth will come through valuable time on the sideline during games this season, as Murphy will get his first chance to soak in the college football atmosphere when the Longhorns welcome the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks to Austin on Saturday, Sept. 4. 

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You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7

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