In a recent announcement, Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian has revealed that Maalik Murphy will be making his first career start as the team's starting quarterback in their upcoming game against BYU on Saturday. This decision comes as Quinn Ewers, the previous starting quarterback, is dealing with an AC joint sprain in his right shoulder, sustained during their win over Houston last week.

Sarkisian made the announcement on Thursday, stating, "Maalik (Murphy) is going to start Saturday," according to On3's Inside Texas. Murphy, a redshirt freshman, stepped in for Ewers during the game against Houston, completing 1 out of 2 passes for 7 yards. Throughout the season, Murphy has shown promise, going 4-for-8 passing for a total of 47 yards.

Ranked as the No. 12 quarterback and No. 205 overall player in the country in the class of 2022, according to the On3 Industry rankings, Murphy has an opportunity to showcase his potential on a bigger stage. However, Sarkisian emphasized that he doesn't expect Murphy to be perfect in his performance.

On the other hand, true freshman Arch Manning, who was also considered for the starting position against BYU, is seen as an incredibly talented quarterback but has yet to throw a pass in his college career. Manning, ranked as the No. 1 overall player in the On3 Industry rankings in the class of 2023, had an impressive senior year in high school, passing for nearly 2,300 yards and 34 touchdowns, as well as rushing for six scores.

Coach Sarkisian acknowledged the challenges that Murphy might face against BYU in a discussion earlier this week, regardless of whether Murphy or Manning would start. He highlighted the need for adaptability, as BYU might present defensive strategies that haven't been seen on tape.

The BYU Cougars, currently with a record of 5-2, will face the No. 7-ranked Texas Longhorns in Austin for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff. All eyes will be on Texas to see if they can maintain their performance without their starting quarterback, Ewers.

Sarkisian advised both Murphy and Manning to focus on making the easy plays easy, given their limited experience. He emphasized the importance of adaptability during the game, as well as capitalizing on the quarterback-friendly aspects of the team's offensive strategy.

As the Longhorns prepare for a challenging matchup against BYU, the spotlight will be on Maalik Murphy as he aims to lead his team to victory in his first career start as the team's quarterback.