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Texas Football Roster 2023 -- "Only Angry People Win Football Games."


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Nice comments by Maalik 🤘

Texas backup QB Maalik Murphy to enter transfer portal

Pete Thamel,  ESPN    Dec 13, 2023

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Texas backup quarterback Maalik Murphy is entering the NCAA transfer portal, he told ESPN on Wednesday night.

Murphy said in a phone interview that he will not be with the Longhorns in the College Football Playoff, a decision that was wrenching for him.

"I hate it, I hate it," Murphy told ESPN. "I'm super invested in this team. Everything that we've done along the way and all the work we've put in together. It's hard to walk away, especially at this point during the season."

Murphy immediately will become one of the most sought-after players on the transfer portal market. He's a redshirt freshman who'll be immediately eligible and have three seasons of eligibility remaining.

Murphy started a pair of home games for Texas this season, home wins over BYU and Kansas State, when starter Quinn Ewers was out with an injury. He threw for 477 yards and 3 touchdowns over the two games.

The move makes true freshman Arch Manning the backup quarterback for Texas' postseason run.

Murphy said that given the time it will take for visits and to assure he finds the right spot for his future, it's best for him to leave the Longhorns now.

He said that Texas coach Steve Sarkisian gave him the option to stay, and that he's appreciative of that and everything Sarkisian did for him at Texas.

"It's nothing against Texas at all," Murphy said. "I'm doing this purely for me and my future. In my eyes, I'll always be a Longhorn and a part of this great team."

He added about Sarkisian: "I really appreciate Coach because of how accepting and helping he's been along the way. As a player here, he's been super helpful. It'll definitely take me a long way. I'm glad I was able to be coached by him."

Murphy said the decision to leave came down to "doing what's best for my future" and said what he's seeking is simple.

"A place where I can play," he said when asked what he's looking for in a school. "Continue to get better and continue to be around great people and great players. And just do what's best for me and my career."

While Ewers has yet to make an official decision on returning to Texas next season, the prevailing thought within his circle remains that he'll return to Texas in 2024, as more starts and experience will help assure his long-term NFL potential.

"I just want to be in a position where I can play," Murphy said. "I don't want to be waiting around and see what happens or anything like that. I'd rather kickstart my career while I can."

 

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15 hours ago, LTtxfan said:

My count:   8 Texas players in the portal:

  • DB  Larry Turner-Gooden
  • DB   Xavion Brice
  • DB   BJ Allen Jr.
  • DB   Jalen Catalon
  • WR   Casey Cain
  • WR   Isaiah Neyor
  • QB    Maalik Murphy
  • OL/DL   Sawyer Goram-Welch

This tells me we need to stop recruiting guys with hyphens/3 names. 

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(Scipio Tex) 2023 Gaskamp Award Co-Winners: Jett Bush & David Gbenda

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The most prestigious and coveted award in college football and arguably all of human existence is being conferred upon two deserving 2023 Longhorns. They are 5th year senior defenders Jett Bush and David Gbenda. First, a quick reminder of who the famed prize honors:

Russell Gaskamp was a highly recruited OL prospect from Weatherford, Okla. that came to Texas with great acclaim and then seemingly gathered dust like a College Station library book. In 1998 – then a fifth year senior – he was a struck by a meteorite doused in Gamma rays, won the starting center job, played extremely well, and helped Ricky Williams win the Heisman and revitalize Texas football with a record-breaking rushing performance.

Thereafter the award goes annually to the breakout senior who has spent much of their career forgotten, marginalized, downtrodden, or injured. Sometimes, these are players that spark some degree of derision from the fanbase until their breakout year – when thereafter they are remembered fondly, even wistfully: “I always knew he’d be a player!”

Former winners include late-breaking standouts Brandon Healy, Maurice Gordon, Nate Jones, Henry Melton, Chris Ogbonnaya, Ben Alexander, Eddie Jones, and John Harris. In some years, the Gaskamp has not been awarded to preserve its aura of gritty eliteness.

David Gbenda

Few plays better encompass the never-quit attitude that embodies the Gaskamp.

Since first earning playing time in 2019, the 5-11, 225 pound Gbenda struggled with consistency and had even seen his rotational playing time diminish in 2022 from prior years. Coming into this year, he was seemingly being written off, but Gbenda had other ideas. After a strong spring and summer, Gbenda turned in his best year at Texas with career highs in snaps (381), tackles (49, 4th on the team) and game impact to include 9 QB pressures, 2 sacks, 3 QB hits and a PBU.

Gbenda’s relentless energy, effort and quickness make the 2023 Longhorn defense better. Could Gbenda be the first Gaskamp Winner to return? Possibly. COVID years have gummed up the works, but a 5th year senior is a 5th year senior. But definitionally, a player can only win the Gaskamp once. Beyond the rules structure, awarding any player the Gaskamp twice would be too great a responsibility for any man, a burden comparable to bearing Tolkien’s Ring of Power in LOTR.

Jett Bush

Jett Bush will forever have the Kick Six to cherish in his scrapbook of memories, but the Gaskamp will eclipse it like the sun’s shadow.

Jett Bush’s 2023 wasn’t just characterized by right place, right time heady play but by his consistent dedication to choosing violence. The 5th year senior former walk-on totaled 17 tackles in his 254 snaps, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find another defender who gave up his body more willingly to destroy outside zone and pulling linemen in gap schemes than Bush. He was also a fill-up-the-box-score contributor who finished the year with 14 QB pressures, 2 sacks, 8 hurries, 4 QB hits, 1 interception and a batted ball.

Bush’s raw physicality and effort made the 2023 Longhorn defense better. Please congratulate both of these athletes for winning the most coveted prize in the world.

Note: The prestigious award panel consists of an elite group of evaluators, chaired by Paul Wadlington. The voters include Paul Wadlington. The appeals process is headed by Paul Wadlington and all appeals are filed for review in a Walmart trash dumpster.

 

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Assuming Sark had his ideal roster mix this season, this is what 2024 currently projects to vs 2023:

QB: Out: Murphy; In: Owens

RB: Out: Brooks, Robinson; In: Gibson, Clark

WR: Out: Worthy, Mitchell, Whittington, Cain, Neyor; In: Golden, TBD, Wingo, Livingstone, Dubose

TE: Out: Sanders; In: Washington

OL: Out: Jones, TBD, Goram-Welch; In: Baker, Cruz, Kibble

DL: Out: Sweat, Murphy, Collins, TBD; In: Umeozulu, January, Hills, Robinson

LB: Out: Ford, Bush; In: Simmons, Smith

DB: Out: Barron, Thompson, Catalon, Allen, LTG, Brice; In: Black, Filsaime, Mack, Hampton, JJR, Wilson

ST: Out: Sanborn; In: Kern

That would have Trill Carter, David Gbenda, Ryan Watts, and Kitan Crawford all returning as guys who walked on Sr day.

Edited by Snake Diggity
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I think Thompson is more likely to return than Crawford at this point. Both are unlikely. You are also missing Mukuba at DB and Moore at LB. There will also be a TE and DL added in the portal. Potentially one more WR depending on who enters/leaves.

I could also see another P coming.

Edited by Atticus
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Tracking Portal Destinations:

  • DB  Larry Turner-Gooden  San Jose St.
  • DB   Xavion Brice     North Texas
  • DB   BJ Allen Jr.       North Texas
  • DB   Jalen Catalon
  • WR   Casey Cain       UNLV
  • WR   Isaiah Neyor
  • QB    Maalik Murphy    DUKE
  • OL/DL  Sawyer Goram-Welch
  • DL      Kris Ross

 

 

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