Last season, the Texas Longhorns had a highly talented quarterback room with Quinn Ewers, Maalik Murphy, and Arch Manning, all capable of leading the team. Murphy decided to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal and joined Duke in the ACC.
Duke football is in a transitional phase after head coach Mike Elko left for Texas A&M and star quarterback Riley Leonard transferred to Notre Dame. Leonard’s exit opened up a real opportunity for Murphy to compete for a starting role. During the 2024 ACC Football Media Days, Murphy reflected on his transfer decision.
“Starting off, it was definitely tough for me just because of the position I was in with my previous team,” Murphy said. “We were heading, trying to win a national championship. It was definitely tough separating myself from the team during that time, kind of just doing what was best for me.”
Murphy found himself in a challenging situation, caught between the Longhorns’ present plans with Ewers and their future with Manning, both highly ranked five-star recruits.
“I was getting into the portal trying to find a new home,” Murphy said. “Luckily, I found Duke University and Manny being the head coach here. I couldn’t ask for a better place. I’ve had a great time here the past seven months. I can’t wait to see what we do this season.”
At Duke, Murphy will work with head coach Manny Diaz, who, despite mixed results at Miami, successfully developed quarterbacks D’Eriq King and Tyler Van Dyke, attracting significant national attention.
Murphy is enthusiastic about his chance at Duke and eager to prove himself as a leader. He believes he’s in the perfect place to succeed under Diaz’s guidance and is looking forward to his future in the ACC.
