With Maalik Murphy Gone, Could Longhorns Be Vulnerable In Sugar Bowl?

Maalik Murphy's departure from Texas leaves the Longhorns in a potentially precarious position.

Maalik Murphy stayed as long as he could. There's nothing more he'd like than to hold a clipboard and watch from the sidelines of the Ceasers Superdome and bide his time. 

College football isn't that kind. Neither are coaches offering scholarships to transfers hoping to start next fall. 

Murphy, who spent two seasons with the Texas Longhorns, confirmed Thursday evening he has entered the transfer portal and will not be available for the Jan. 1 College Football Playoff semifinal against No. 2 Washington. Based on the 30-day transfer portal window closed after the national championship, timing told the main story. 

“It’s nothing against Texas at all,” Murphy told ESPN on Wednesday. “I’m doing this purely for me and my future. In my eyes, I’ll always be a Longhorn and a part of this great team.”

Phrase it however you want: sad, harsh, cold, unsettling. Murphy was never walking away while having it all. He would either stick around through spring and be late to the party at his next home, or could secure the starting job heading into summer with a few more reps. 

Now, the Longhorns must decide what's best in case of injury. The hope is Quinn Ewers survives eight more quarters, and this becomes a moot point. 

But say it doesn't? Say Texas loses Ewers again, thus forcing Steve Sarkisian to turn elsewhere. Would he call upon Arch Manning, the future of Longhorn football?

Could he turn to Charles Wright, a former walk-on with less than a dozen reps under his belt? 

Texas Longhorns quarterback Maalik Murphy (6) looks to pass the ball during the third quarter against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Murphy's loss could bring back memories of 2009. Everyone remembers that moment, right? You know, where Colt McCoy left during the first quarter and handed the keys to the offense over to true freshman Garrett Gilbert? 

Ewers and McCoy, they sound the same, right? 

The Longhorns are one hit away from trotting out Manning and seeing what the future entails. If he impresses, then Texas enters a new era of the SEC with two potential capable starters. 

If he struggles, is this Gilbert 2.0? Everyone remembers how his time in Austin ended, right? It could even happen against the same team Gilbert faced if Alabama can get past Michigan out in California. 

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Yes, Wright might be on the team, but he's also Sarkisian's last resort. Manning took over against Texas Tech and did little. Still, he is Texas' future, and so the more reps the better. 

Murphy's departure could also be a concern for depth purposes heading into 2024. Ewers has yet to make a decision on his NFL draft status, and won't until after the postseason.

Should Ewers return to the Forty Acres, Murphy's leaving only stings regarding losing a personality. Meanwhile, the Longhorns would have one of the most experienced quarterbacks in college football as well as a Heisman Trophy front-runner. 

Should Ewers depart for his next chapter in life, Manning — the nation’s top recruit in the 2023 class — will step into spring practices as the assumed starter with little to no depth behind him.