Report: Texas QB Maalik Murphy transferring to Duke as a sophomore

Backup Texas quarterback Maalik Murphy is transferring to Duke, ESPN's Pete Thamel reports.

Murphy joins a Duke program that lost quarterback Riley Leonard in the transfer portal to Notre Dame and saw head coach Mike Elko leave Durham for Texas A&M. Murphy has the chance to be the face of a new era at Duke alongside first-year head coach Manny Diaz.

Murphy joined Texas in 2022 as a four-star prospect and redshirted his first year in Austin. He backed up Quinn Ewers this season as the Longhorns advanced to the College Football Playoff. He made seven appearances, including two starts in injury relief of Ewers in wins over BYU and Kansas State. He completed 56.3% of his passes for 477 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions.

With Ewers reportedly considering a return to Texas and Arch Manning waiting in the wings, opportunity was limited for Murphy in Austin in 2024. A 6-foot-5 athlete with a big arm, Murphy will have a chance to compete for the starting job and make an immediate impact at Duke.

Murphy's decision means that Texas will be without its primary backup quarterback in the College Football Playoff. Texas will play Washington on Jan. 1 in the Sugar Bowl with a trip to the national championship on the line.

Manning, the nephew of Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning, will presumably serve as Ewers' primary backup in the playoffs.