Maalik Murphy's portal decision is a result of an untenable college football calendar

Texas quarterback Maalik Murphy‘s decision to enter the transfer portal 19 days before the No. 3 Longhorns play No. 2 Washington with a spot in the national championship game on the line was the result of the untenable calendar college football has in place.

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From Murphy’s perspective, he understands that the path to future playing time — especially if Quinn Ewers returns for 2024 and with Arch Manning on his heels — is very narrow at Texas despite starting and winning two games for the Horns this season. It’s likely in his best interest to find a new place to play.

That decision is not an easy one, and it’s one where the timing is not of his choosing.

Murphy told ESPN he wants to find a place where he can be in a position to play, improve, and do what’s best for him. He was effusive in his praise of UT head coach Steve Sarkisian, saying he’ll always be a Longhorn and he appreciates the time Sarkisian put into coaching him.

But if Murphy wants to do what’s best for him and put himself in a position where he can play, delaying a portal entrance isn’t an option. And as a result, a key part of the Longhorns’ 2023 efforts won’t be with the team in New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl.

Going on visits to schools all over the country and preparing for the Washington Huskies in case something were to happen to Ewers can’t live in harmony. It’s one or the other. The choice was forced upon Murphy because of the way the college football calendar is structured.

Three things are currently going on at the same time: the ramp up for postseason games, the transfer portal being open, and the run up to national signing day.

Sarkisian rarely lashes out at the system, often repeating an “adapt or die” mantra. But his words to Houston’s Fox 26 last night hinted at extreme disappointment in the way the calendar is currently constructed.

Sark on Texas QB Maalik Murphy's transfer:

"Maalik's been a great teammate, he's been an awesome guy to have on our team. We wouldn't be here today if it weren't for Maalik – you know, he won two football games for us.." #HookEm

Thanks @FOX26Houston & @WillKunkelFOX for sharing pic.twitter.com/ZXBijf99pk

— Dennis de la Pena (@dennisonfox7) December 14, 2023

“We wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for Maalik,” Sarkisian said Wednesday night. “He won two games for us. But I also understand this day and age of college football. That’s unfortunate that he’s been put in this situation, this position to where he’s trying to look out for his future.

“He was part of a team that’s competing for a national championship. This structure of how our seasons go throughout the year in college football is not perfect. We’re all learning as we go with now the transfer portal, the early signing period, the College Football Playoff, and what it’s going to look like next year when we go to 12 teams and managing that. And managing that for our own current players and for our future players.

“We’ve got to continue to adapt.”

Texas will be fine at quarterback as Manning, a former Five-Star Plus+ prospect, steps into the backup quarterback role.

And Murphy will be fine too. He’ll find a spot because the allure of a 6-foot-5, 240-pound quarterback in the portal with a rocket arm, a strong work ethic, an appealing persona, and room for on-field improvement will attract a lot of suitors. But it’s unfortunately a decision he cannot delay.

While the second transfer portal window in the spring was an option, and while Longhorn players have an extended window to enter the portal due to their Playoff bid, the timing of those choices isn’t conducive to what’s best for a player like Murphy who would have preferred to be in the Superdome to start 2024.

Sure, he could’ve entered in the spring, but all these teams with quarterback problems want their solutions as soon as possible, and the market is offering those solutions right now. Murphy delaying his choice would cost him the chance to put himself in the best possible position.

Murphy won’t be immune to criticism for his decision to leave early. That comes with the territory of playing big-time college football, and playing quarterback at the University of Texas. But this isn’t a case of a player making an Irish goodbye because he didn’t want his teammates or program to show him the door, as Sarkisian’s words indicate.

“Again, I love Maalik to death,” Sarkisian said. “I’d love the opportunity to coach him. Like I said, he was a great teammate. I wish him nothing but the best of luck.”

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This is a player who wanted to be part of the Longhorns’ run to the championship and able to find the best possible place for him to play football in 2024. That could have included Texas. But that path wasn’t available to him because of the way the sport’s calendar is set up.