Oregon State's Maalik Murphy (6) throws the ball during the first day of spring practice at the Tommy Prothro Football Complex on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in Corvallis, Ore. Kevin Neri/Statesman Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ex Texas Longhorns QB Maalik Murphy Named Starter At Oregon State

Originally posted on Texas Longhorns on SI
By Tyler Firtel | Last updated Aug 21, 2025 1:31 PM ET

Former Texas Longhorns quarterback Maalik Murphy is expected to start for the Oregon State Beavers in Week 1, per On3's Pete Nakos.

After spending last season at Duke and the two before at Texas, Murphy is set to start behind center at his third school when the Beavers take on the California Golden Bears on Aug. 30.

One of only two teams comprising the Pac-12 this season, Oregon State's schedule featu res matchups against opponents from various conferences, including Fresno State (Mountain West), Texas Tech (Big 12) and rivals Oregon (Big 10).

Murphy's college journey

A four-star recruit in the 2022 class out of Junipero Serra High School in California, Murphy received 31 visits during his recruitment, but only took one official visit. That trip was to Texas in June 2021, months after he committed to the Longhorns in February 2021, according to 247Sports.

Murphy was an early enrollee on the Forty Acres, but he redshirted his freshman season after suffering an ankle injury in his senior year state championship game. Murphy rehabbed while in a quarterback room that included Quinn Ewers and Hudson Card.

When Card left for the starting role at Purdue following the season, Murphy stepped into backup duties, with a freshman Arch Manning entering the quarterback mix and lo oming behind him. In the 2023 spring game, Murphy completed 9 of 13 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown, making him a commodity in the transfer portal.

But, Murphy decided to stay put.

"He likes to compete," a source close to Murphy told 247Sports' Chris Hummer in a May 2023 CBS article. "That's a big deal for him. He loves the school and the program, and I think he wants to give himself a legit shot to be healthy and show what he can do."

In 2023, he appeared in seven games for Texas and started two that Ewers missed. Murphy led the Longhorns to two midseason home conference wins against BYU (35-6) and Kansas State (33-30 in overtime), accumulating 418 passing yards on 35 of 62 passing in the starts. Murphy also threw three touchdowns and three interceptions.

Murphy's willingness to compete at Texas paid off, as what he's shown has earned him s tarting jobs. Murphy entered the transfer portal and committed to Duke in December 2023, before Texas's College Football Playoff game against Washington.

Last year, Murphy started all 12 regular-season games, throwing for 2,933 yards, an average of 244 per game, and recording a 26:12 touchdown-interception ratio as the Blue Devils went 9-3 and earned a spot in the Taxslayer Gator Bowl. Murphy's passing touchdown mark set a new school single-season record.

With Duke opting to go a different direction at quarterback in 2025, though, bringing in Tulane transfer Darian Mensah, Murphy made his way to Corvallis, Oregon, last winter.

There, now a redshirt junior, Murphy will get another shot as a starter.

This article first appeared on Texas Longhorns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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