Inside Texas Today: Praise for Isaiah Neyor, Maalik Murphy update
Welcome to Inside Texas Today! Each weekday morning, Inside Texas Today will provide the latest news and notes from around the Forty Acres, including notable events, analysis, and where to watch Texas Longhorns sports that day.
Here’s the Wednesday, March 30, 2022 edition.
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Isaiah Neyor already impressing Steve Sarkisian
Texas looked for help at the wide receiver position in the transfer portal this offseason. At one point, it appeared Wyoming transfer Isaiah Neyor would say “thanks, but no thanks” to Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian and wide receivers coach Brennan Marion.
Neyor, who caught 44 passes for 878 yards and 12 touchdowns with the Cowboys in 2021, committed to the Tennessee Volunteers on January 8. But 12 days later, he flipped his commitment from one UT to another, just in time to enroll in classes in Austin and be on campus for the spring semester.
During that time, Neyor made progress in offseason conditioning and impressed Sarkisian. So far in practice, he has moved his way to second on the depth chart behind Marcus Washington at one of the outside wide receiver positions.
“He’s a big, physical guy,” Sarkisian said Tuesday. “I think that he, as much as anybody, winter conditioning really helped him 1) get acclimated to the program and 2) his body has just really changed dramatically. He looks great. He’s a physical player. He’s probably got a little more speed than I gave him credit for when we got him.”
Neyor wouldn’t have flipped to Texas without seeing an inviting depth chart. Two of Texas’ top six players in receiving yards from last year, Joshua Moore and Cade Brewer, won’t be around for the 2022 season. Of the other four, one is running back Bijan Robinson, and outside of Xavier Worthy, no other receiver hauled in more than 26 catches last season.
Neyor sees opportunity, and according to Sarkisian, he is attempting to seize it.
“He’s competitive guy, he’s a great learner, and he’s dedicated to what his craft is and what he’s doing,” Sarkisian said. “On that front, very impressed with him.”
An update on Maalik Murphy
On3’s Griffin McVeigh posted an article yesterday detailing Sarkisian’s response for what was ahead of Maalik Murphy now that he is out of his walking boot.
Murphy may get some throws in during non-contact drills at the tail end of the 15 spring practices, but for now he’s working with the Texas strength and conditioning staff on the side during practice, trying to get the ankle he injured in his California state championship game back to full strength.
Texas viewing for March 30, 2022
No. 15 Softball – vs. Louisiana – Austin, Texas – McCombs Field – 6 p.m. – Longhorn Network
