'Spring Break Will Be Big' For Longhorns QB Maalik Murphy, Says Sark

Maalik Murphy was expected to be the No. 2 to Quinn Ewers this spring but has yet to take the field.

Entering the Texas Longhorns' third spring practice under Steve Sarkisian one thing was mostly clear - Quinn Ewers was the odds-on favorite as the team's No. 1 quarterback.

And perhaps the more interesting question was... Who would serve as the backup to Ewers?

After all, In each of the last two seasons, the Longhorns have been forced to utilize both their No. 1 and No. 2 quarterbacks on multiple occasions. 

As such, with the departure of Hudson Card, it was widely expected that second-year quarterback Maalik Murphy and incoming freshman star Arch Manning would compete for that No. 2 spot.

And it was Murphy who was tabbed as the favorite, after serving as Ewers' backup in the Alamo Bowl. 

Instead, however, Murphy as been sidelined with an injury, with Manning getting just about all of the No. 2 reps throughout the first three practices. 

On Friday, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian updated the status of Murphy, and how he is progressing through his injury situation.

“I think his spirits are actually really good," Sarkisian said. "Spring break is going to be big for him to get healthy. I think he’s got a great upside. I can’t wait for him to get back out there and show what he can do. He is very physically gifted as well”

Murphy had suffered a setback with his ankle injury that he suffered in his final high school game, sending his spring into flux.

However, despite the talent that is already in the quarterback room outside of the California native, Sarkisian is clearly a huge fan of Murphy's talent and intangibles.

In fact, Earlier in the week, when asked about his status, Sarkisian was clear that the team's first priority with Murphy is for him to get healthy, and that when he is able to return he will be 'in the mix' for the No. 2 spot.

“I just want to get the guy healthy,” Sarkisian said. “When he is healthy, he’s really talented. He’s very good. He’s a great teammate. He has natural leadership qualities about him that I want him to be able to show on a consistent basis on the field. He’ll be in the mix when he can get back.”

The Longhorns are set to take a 10-day break from workouts for spring break.

And when they reconvene, Murphy very well could be back on the field for the Horns right next to Ewers and Manning, competing for a role. 

You can follow Matt Galatzan on Twitter @MattGalatzan

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