Greg McElroy, Booger McFarland highlight biggest concern for Texas amid Quinn Ewers injury

With Quinn Ewers set to miss multiple games for Texas, there are plenty of concerns. Steve Sarkisian has his team in prime position to make a Big 12 Championship with a 6-1 record. But Maalik Murphy is likely taking over offensively and adjustments have to be made.

Even so, ESPN’s Greg McElroy does not think Murphy will have to do too much for Texas. Yes, more will be asked than his two pass attempts in a tight game late against Houston. Steve Sarkisian is likely going to lean on his ground game though, something the head coach would want to do even if Ewers was healthy.

“He’s just got to manage the game,” McElroy said. “Be a game manager. Simple as that. This is a team that is going to put some on the quarterback’s shoulders. But if you watch Quinn Ewers, outside of the game against Alabama, he’s been steady, he’s been solid. In some ways, unspectacular. And that’s what Maalik Murphy is going to have to do.

“He needs to lean on the run game. This is an offense that is predicated by running the football, setting up play-action, and creating big plays down the field. Jonathon Brooks is one of the most dynamic running backs in college football.”

Booger McFarland more concerned about Texas playing in a potential shootout

Outside of Ewers’ injury, the biggest story coming out of Houston was Texas’ secondary getting shredded. Dana Holgerson had a great game plan against Pete Kwiatkowski and moved the ball with ease at times.

“Their secondary has been abysmal,” ESPN’s Booger McFarland said. “If that front seven mark doesn’t dominate you — well, guess what. Houston and Donovan Smith threw for almost 400 yards. They pushed the ball downfield and that Texas secondary had no answer.”

So what happens if Texas needs to put some points on the board and quickly? Sarkisian would have to abandon the run game at some point and trust the quarterback. McFarland does not know if the same kind of trust would be there with either Murphy or even Arch Manning in there.

“My only concern for Sark is if you get in a shootout and teams take advantage of your secondary, are you going to trust Maalik Murphy, or if you put in Arch Manning, the same? The same way you trusted Quinn Ewers to push the football down the field in a shootout.”

BYU will be the first test for the Texas offense, followed by a tricky game in Austin against Kansas State. We will soon find out the trust level Sarkisian has in Murphy.