Two weeks ago, the Texas Longhorns won a difficult 31-24 matchup against the Houston Cougars. Despite the win, the Texas Longhorns suffered a big loss during the game when sophomore quarterback Quinn Ewers suffered an AC joint sprain on his right shoulder. This injury usually consists of a partial to full tear of the acromioclavicular and coracoclavicular ligaments, as well as a partial dislocation of the joint.
Halfway through the third quarter, Nelson Ceaser, junior Houston defensive lineman, took Ewers down on a sack, landing on his throwing arm. Ewers led with that same side into a tackle on a quarterback run five plays later, further aggravating his injury.
On Texas’ next drive, fans saw Ewers sidelined in an arm sling, with redshirt freshman Maalik Murphy taking snaps for the remainder of the game.
Two games later, Ewers still hasn’t entered a game for the Longhorns, with Murphy taking the snaps versus both BYU and Kansas.
Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian originally listed Ewers as “week-to-week,” but Sarkisian said on Monday that Ewers is now “day-to-day.”
With the starting quarterback out, the “next man up” mentality for Texas becomes more paramount than ever.
Murphy saw his first collegiate start two weeks ago in a 35-6 win against the BYU Cougars, completing 16 of 25 passes for 170 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
Texas also had Murphy under center this past Saturday against the Kansas State Wildcats, where he threw for 248 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in a close 33-30 win.
The Inglewood, California native attended Junipero Serra High School and was a top-200 prospect and No. 9 quarterback in the nation coming out of high school, according to 247Sports ratings.
Murphy is known for his strong arm and big frame, standing at 6 foot 5, 238 pounds. Along with his athletic skill set, Murphy has earned his teammates’ confidence as the Longhorns’ current QB1.
“I feel like he’s ready for the moment,” Jonathon Brooks, redshirt sophomore running back, told FanNation. “He’s the first one in the facility, last one out. He does all the extra work, and I think mentally he’s ready for it.”
Murphy will look to make his third start this Saturday against the TCU Horned Frogs in Fort Worth, Texas.
After Ewers was named the starting quarterback early on in the preseason, there was big talk about who would be the backup, and redshirt freshman Arch Manning gave Murphy a run for his money.
247sports, Rivals and the On3 Industry Rankings all had Manning as the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit in the 2023 cycle. As the nephew of Super Bowl champions Peyton and Eli Manning, and grandson of College Football Hall of Famer Archie Manning, it was evident that fans and players across the country would set high expectations for Arch Manning.
Manning attended Isidore Newman High School in New Orleans, Louisiana, just like his uncles. Starting all four years at Newman, Manning went 34-9, breaking both Eli’s passing and Peyton’s touchdown records with 8,599 passing yards and 140 total touchdowns.
His quick release and accurate throws make Manning a natural at his position. With a 6-foot-4, 212 pound frame, Manning can stand his ground and elude tackles if necessary.
The Horned Frogs will look to take advantage with Ewers sidelined. Despite Texas temporarily being without QB1, the team’s quarterbacks are more than capable of continuing to put up a fight against opponents until his return.
