"The time I had on the 40 Acres will live with me forever" - Maalik Murphy bids farewell to Longhorns after entering the portal

Major news came out of Texas, with QB2 Maalik Murphy deciding to step into the transfer portal as the Longhorns prepare for the College Football Playoff.

Murphy joined Texas as a four-star prospect and was the ninth-best quarterback in the country in the 2022 recruiting class. The 19-year-old graduated from Gardena Junipero Serra High School and spent his first year in college nursing an injury from his high school days.

Maalik Murphy's time with the Longhorns

Shortly after he announced his decision to enter the portal, Murphy took to social media to thank the fans and the team for their support. The quarterback posted the following through his Twitter account:

"I would like to say thank you to all of Texas and the entire Longhorn community. For accepting and supporting me, a kid from the west coast as one of your own. The time I had on the 40 Acres will live with me forever. I’m extremely grateful to have played in the burnt orange."

After redshirting his first year, Murphy was called upon in 2023 after star quarterback Quinn Ewers went down with a shoulder injury for two weeks. Murphy led the Longhorns to wins in both weeks, putting up 170 yards, and 2 touchdowns against BYU.

He followed this performance with another 248 yards and a touchdown against Kansas State in a thrilling 33-30 victory in overtime. Besides featuring as the starter, Murphy also saw the field in Texans' wins against Oklahoma State, Kansas, and a few other games.

What's next for Maalik Murphy?

Even though he featured sparingly for the Longhorns, Maalik Murphy remains one of the best quarterbacks to enter the transfer portal this season, with Dillon Gabriel now committed to the Oregon Ducks.

Aidan Chiles (committed to Michigan State), Dante Moore from UCLA, Will Howard from Kansas, Kyle McCord from Ohio State, and Cameron Ward from Washington State are some of the other top quarterbacks in the portal alongside Murphy.

When asked about what he was looking for from his new team, Murphy had the following to say (via ESPN):

"A place where I can play. Continue to get better and continue to be around great people and great players. And just do what's best for me and my career… I just want to be in a position where I can play. I don't want to be waiting around and see what happens or anything like that. I'd rather kick-start my career while I can.”

According to the latest reports, Maalik Murphy has scheduled visits to Duke, Baylor, and Oregon State. The 19-year-old will also be missing the Longhorns' playoff run.