Texas QB Maalik Murphy enters transfer portal before CFP

The Texas Longhorns will be without their No. 2 quarterback for their College Football Playoff semifinal against the Washington Huskies, as Maalik Murphy is entering the transfer portal.

Murphy told ESPN of his decision on Wednesday.

The redshirt freshman started twice for the third-ranked Longhorns (12-1) this season in place of an injured Quinn Ewers. Murphy would have backed up Ewers against the second-ranked Huskies (13-0) in the Sugar Bowl at New Orleans on Jan. 1, but instead that role will now fall to Arch Manning.

Ewers is a sophomore, while Manning is a true freshman.

When he lands at a new school, Murphy will be eligible right away and will have three seasons to play.

Murphy told ESPN regarding his decision to leave the Longhorns, "I hate it, I hate it. I'm super invested in this team. Everything that we've done along the way and all the work we've put in together, it's hard to walk away, especially at this point during the season."

He stated that he needed to leave Texas immediately so he can go on campus visits and find the right transfer destination.

"It's nothing against Texas at all," Murphy told ESPN. "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. ...

"I really appreciate coach (Steve Sarkisian) because of how accepting and helping he's been along the way. As a player here, he's been super helpful. It'll definitely take me a long way. I'm glad I was able to be coached by him."

Murphy, who won his starts against BYU on Oct. 28 and then-No. 23 Kansas State on Nov. 4, completed 40 of 71 passes (56.3 percent) for 477 yards on the season. He threw three touchdown passes and was intercepted three times.

Murphy was a top prospect out of Junipero Serra High School in Gardena, Calif., before arriving at Texas.

—Field Level Media