Texans’ Malik Murphy enters the transfer portal: How this impacts the Longhorns, and other programs in need of a QB

Texans quarterback Malik Murphy announced Wednesday that he plans to enter the transfer portal.

Murphy went 2-0 as a starter for Texans this season while starter Quinn Ewers was injured and threw for 477 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions in seven games. The 6-foot-5, 238-pound freshman from Inglewood, Calif., has three more seasons of eligibility.

Murphy told ESPN that he will not be with the Longhorns during the College Football Playoff, moving freshman Arch Manning up to second on the depth chart.

How does this impact the QB transfer market?

Washington State quarterback Cameron Ward is the most sought-after quarterback in the transfer portal right now and offers much more experience than Murphy as a four-year starter. But don’t be surprised if a serious bidding war develops for the Texans’ backup QB. There are some contenders on the market like Ohio State and USC who have yet to make their moves to transfer and could be very attractive to Murphy as he explores his options.

The coaches view Murphy as a developmental prospect with great potential. Teams looking for a young QB they can draft into a multi-year starter have some very desirable options to choose from right now between Murphy, UCLA’s Dante Moore, and Oregon State’s Aidan Chiles. — Max Olson, senior college football writer

What does this mean for Texas?

In the short term, this weakens the quarterback depth chart at a critical time with the Longhorns in the College Football Playoff. Murphy filled his role admirably when Ewers was out injured, finishing the Texans’ 31-24 win over Houston and going 2-0 as a starter, leading the Longhorns to wins over BYU and Kansas State.

Fortunately for Texas, Steve Sarkisian has a talented option to turn to if Ewers goes down: former No. 1 recruit Manning. He didn’t make his career start until the regular season finale against Texas Tech, but he showed promise in his limited action.

In the long term, the picture will clear up if Ewers returns for another season with Manning as the backup and obvious successor. -Sam Khan Jr., senior college football writer