The injury to starting quarterback Quinn Ewers threatens to cause Texas some trouble over the remainder of the season as the Longhorns fight for their first College Football Playoff appearance. But for some fans, the injury was also viewed as a potential chance to see his likely replacement.
Ewers is expected to miss between two and four weeks, per ESPN's Pete Thamel, after he sprained his throwing shoulder against Houston. But with Ewers out, many were wondering if Arch Manning, nephew of the famous Manning brothers, would get a chance to play against BYU on Saturday.
The other option for the Longhorns to start at quarterback was Maalik Murphy, who came in for Ewers when he left the last game early.
Did Ewers wind up playing against BYU? Here's what you need to know.
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Did Arch Manning play vs. BYU?
Manning did not wind up playing, with Steve Sarkisian starting Murphy under center and keeping him in throughout the game.
The Longhorns, led by Murphy, had no trouble dismantling the Cougars. Murphy completed 16-of-25 passes for 170 yards, two touchdowns and an interception as Texas won 35-6. Despite the blowout, Murphy remained under center for the entire contest.
On Thursday, Sarkisian said Murphy had his best day of practice since arriving at Texas. He added he wasn't sure if Manning would come in the game.
"I haven't made a decision if I'm going to get Arch in there just to get him in there," Sarkisian said, according to ESPN. "We have discussed that some, because I do think there's some valuable experience for him in that. But I have to make sure that that's in the best interest of the team."
Murphy was graded as a four-star recruit coming out of Junipero Serra High in Gardena, Calif., in 2022, with 247Sports Composite Rankings listing him as the No. 179 recruit in the nation. Despite Ewers transferring to Texas between the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Murphy stayed at Texas to back up Ewers and Hudson Card in 2022.
He has stayed in Austin despite now the arrival of Manning, which complicates Murphy's future as the quarterback in Texas. Manning was the No. 1 recruit in the 2023 class per 247Sports Composite Rankings, and if Ewers leaves for the NFL after the 2023 season, it would appear Manning will be the runaway favorite to win the job.
"Know this about Maalik Murphy: he didn't flinch when Arch Manning showed up on campus. Everyone expected Maalik Murphy to transfer, but he's beaten [Manning] out so far and has earned his first career start today," Thamel said, per On3.
At this point, it appears Manning is heading toward a redshirt season in 2023. Of course, if Manning is as good as anticipated and gets the chance to start in 2024, he might be headed to the NFL after 2025 regardless of his collegiate eligibility status.
