During a regular Thursday Zoom call with the media, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian announced that quarterback Quinn Ewers will be sidelined for the upcoming game against the BYU Cougars due to a shoulder injury. As a result, Maalik Murphy, a redshirt freshman, will take over as the starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns.

Coach Sarkisian expressed his confidence in Murphy's abilities, stating that Thursday's practice was the best he had seen from the young quarterback since he arrived at Texas. Murphy's performance has improved throughout the week, demonstrating heightened understanding of the gameplan, increased comfort in managing the line of scrimmage, and a boost in confidence.

Ewers had been the starting quarterback for Texas throughout the season, but during the previous game against Houston, he sustained a shoulder injury. On Monday, Sarkisian labeled Ewers as "week-to-week" in terms of his recovery. Before his injury, Ewers had showcased his skills, completing 151 of 213 passes for 1,915 yards, with 13 touchdowns and three interceptions. Additionally, he contributed five rushing touchdowns.

Stepping in to replace Ewers upon his exit in the Houston game, Murphy demonstrated promising potential. Although he only completed one of two passes, Murphy showcased his ability to make the right reads for the Longhorns. Throughout the season, Murphy has completed four of eight passes for 47 yards. He has seen game time against Rice, Baylor, Kansas, and Houston.

Coach Sarkisian confirmed that Murphy will start against BYU and emphasized the importance of making decisions that are in the best interest of the team. While there has been discussion about potentially giving Arch Manning, the highly touted freshman, some playing time, the final decision is yet to be made.

Texas is set to face the BYU Cougars this Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in Austin, Texas. The game will be televised by ABC, offering fans a chance to witness the debut of Maalik Murphy as the starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns in their quest for victory against a strong opponent.