Texas Football: 3 most impactful absences due to injury this spring
Maalik Murphy, QB
Some of the most notable nuggets coming out of the first day of spring practice had to do with the movement in the quarterback room. Due to an injury that is still limiting second-year quarterback Maalik Murphy, Texas had to move some of the other QBs up on the first day of spring drills.
As a result, true freshman quarterback and former elite five-star recruit Arch Manning received the second-team reps in practice. It set the college football media landscape on fire on March 6 when Sark mentioned that everyone, including Arch and Quinn Ewers, would have to battle for their spots on the depth chart this year.
I will say that Sark makes this type of statement regarding the battles at every position year in and year out. There isn’t anything special about Arch and Quinn at the quarterback position in 2023 compared to every other spot in years past.
I digress on the subject of the “quarterback battle” on the 40, though.
As far as Murphy’s injury status is concerned, it is a small red flag that he is still dealing with lingering injury issues this far into his collegiate career. Various injury issues ailed Murphy throughout his true freshman campaign, even keeping him from traveling with the team on a number of occasions last season.
Next. 3 underclassmen that could win starting jobs this spring. dark
It sounds like Murphy is still dealing with a lower-body injury issue, which appears to be one of a similar nature to the ailment that he arrived on the Forty Acres with last year. I will say, though, that I don’t know if this is the same foot issue that he dealt with coming out of high school.
Murphy needs these reps to keep up with the other talented guys in the quarterback room this spring. If he’s not able to get back on the field soon, it’s not hard to see Arch surpass him on the quarterback depth chart as spring moves along.