'Sky Is The Limit' For Longhorns QB Maalik Murphy

Maalik Murphy put on a show during the Texas Longhorns spring football game, and Steve Sarkisian took notice.

Matt Galatzan | Apr 15, 2023

'Sky Is The Limit' For Longhorns QB Maalik Murphy /

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Texas Longhorns

AUSTIN - Quinn Ewers is the starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns.

But if disaster strikes and the Longhorns need to insert their No. 2 passer, they will be in good hands with Maalik Murphy.

In Saturday's Orange-White Spring Football Game, Murphy put on a show, completing 9 of 13 for 165 yards and a touchdown, including a beautiful deep pass to freshman Johntay Cook for the touchdown.

And his head coach, Steve Sarkisian, took notice.

"When he really started to settle in, he has a natural ability to pass the football," Sarkisian said. "He's got great vision. When he pushes the ball down the field, it's natural."

"I think the sky is the limit for the guy."

Murphy was an elite, albeit raw prospect coming out of Junipero Serra in California, and was one of the linchpins of the 2021 class.

However, with the arrival of Ewers in 2022, and now Arch Manning in 2023, Murphy's spot, and his future with the program seemed to be in jeopardy.

And despite that adversity, as well as injuries that hampered his ability to get on the field for most of 2022, and the beginning of spring football, Murphy has accepted the challenge and thrived.

Now, Murphy has a firm lock on the No. 2 spot, and if he continues to improve, could even find himself starting under center once Ewers heads to the NFL.

Of course, he will have to battle the five-star Manning for that spot.

But until then, the sky is indeed the limit for the redshirt freshman.

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Published Apr 15, 2023

MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan is the Managing Editor and Publisher of Texas Longhorns On SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI and a long-time member of the Football Writer’s Association of America. He graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry in 2014 covering the Dallas Mavericks and SMU Mustangs with 247Sports. He then moved to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of the Longhorns and Aggies sites a year later. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels, including Twitter on @MattGalatzan.