The Texas Longhorns and new coach Steve Sarkisian received commitment from the 2022 #2 QB prospect Maalik Murphy on Saturday, Feb. 13.
When Texas hired Sarkisian back in January, the hope was that along with his offensive mind, his name would draw in top recruits after his time at Alabama.
Well, it just did.
When Murphy explained his choosing of Texas over the likes of Baylor, Florida, Miami, Oregon, Penn State, UCLA and others, he said Sarkisian was the biggest factor.
In an interview with ESPN, Murphy said “Once Sark got there, I knew it would be something special and I wanted to be a part of it.”
Murphy is ranked in the 2022 class behind #1 QB Quinn Ewers, who was also committed to Texas. Ewers withdrew his commitment back in December, a huge loss to Longhorns fans. However, only two months later, Murphy swoops in to save the day.
It’s unreal how Sarkisian is already making an impact on the program before the team’s even stepped on the field.
Maalik Murphy Already Looks Ready for Texas
Murphy, 6’5 and 220 pounds, attended Junipero Serra High School in Gardena, California. He’s a pro-style quarterback, the essential fit for Sarkisian’s offense. After Ewers de-committed, it was crucial for Sarkisian to land a QB in the 2022 class.
Not only did he land one, but he landed second-ranked Murphy.
Texas has young signal-callers already on the roster, but landing a guy like Murphy makes the QB room, and the entire offense as a whole, something to be excited about in the coming future.
There’s not much to look at highlight wise for Murphy, as Junipero Serra shifted the football season to the spring due to COVID-19.
However, for those film junkies, here’s some clips of Murphy at his high school’s QB retreat.
As with any recruit, but specifically with Murphy, proper development will turn him into a superstar. And that’s exactly what Texas needs.
He already looks like a true fit in Longhorn Orange.
On to the next chapter. Committed. #AllGasNoBrakes pic.twitter.com/VKNuApsmcW
— Maalik (@SmvOperator) February 13, 2021
I will definitely be ordering an “All Gas No Brakes” t-shirt as soon as they become available.
Re-Emphasis on Sarkisian’s Impact
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Sarkisian was brought in to transform the program at Texas, and that all starts with recruiting. Murphy wasn’t the only recruit from the 2022 class already committed to the Longhorns, but he is the highest ranked. If the first year goes as well as fans hope, expect even more top recruit’s committing to Texas year after year.
In years past, Texas has been more of a hard-nosed defensive team that prioritized running the ball. Sarkisian should bring a new, more balanced type of offense to keep defenses on their feet.
Murphy told ESPN, “I feel like he’s [Sarkisian] very versatile. We can do a lot as an offense. He’s able to utilize the back, keep a strong run game, at the same time air the ball out and even get the ball to the back in the passing game. Those three elements can lead an offense to major, major success.”
While it’s obviously a lot easier to make things look pretty at Alabama, expect the same kind of mindset offensively for Sarkisian at Texas. It’ll be really interesting to see the types of players and draft prospects he develops when all is said and done.
Bottom Line
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This commitment by Murphy is only a sign of what’s to come for Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns football program. The Longhorns haven’t even stepped foot on the practice field yet, and Sarkisian’s already making them a better program.
In my last Texas football article, I told fans that Texas just might indeed be back. Maalik Murphy’s commitment further defends that statement.
Keep Your Horns Up.
