Duke Blue Devils quarterback Maalik Murphy entered the transfer portal after breaking out in his redshirt sophomore season. Murphy was a highly regarded recruit when he chose the Texas Longhorns out of high school. And with multiple years of remaining eligibility, he could have high Power Four interest.
Which teams could be interested? Here are five potential transfer portal landing spots for Murphy.
Where Could Maalik Murphy Transfer?
This is a difficult transfer to peg. While Murphy led the Blue Devils to a 9-3 record, there were growing pains. He had 12 interceptions and was 48th in deep-passing accuracy among Power Four starters.
He’s one of the bigger quarterbacks in college football but also one of the least mobile, with -20 sack-adjusted rushing yards and just 19 rushing attempts on the season. Murphy also had the quickest time to release in the country and struggled if he held the ball for over 2.5 seconds.
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That said, the arm talent is impressive, and there will be teams with interest.
Here are five potential landing spots for the second-year quarterback.
USC Trojans
Murphy is originally from Southern California, and the USC Trojans, who recently lost Miller Moss to the transfer portal, could be interested.
Murphy isn’t as mobile as most of the quarterbacks Lincoln Riley has worked with in the past. Nevertheless, he has the arm strength to command Riley’s offense, which often requires the ability to layer throws between coverages.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
If Murphy likes it on Tobacco Road, he should consider the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
Though several of Dave Clawson’s recent quarterbacks have been mobile, his slow-mesh system can work with pocket passers as long as they can make quick decisions. That’s where Murphy excels.
It’d be a lateral move, but if Murphy doesn’t have the interest he expects in the portal, the Demon Deacons are a quality option.
UCF Knights
Anytime there’s a coaching change, you can expect the new staff to bring in a new quarterback to run their preferred offense. Now that Scott Frost is officially back in the fold with the UCF Knights, he’ll need a signal-caller — preferably a young, moldable passer.
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It’s unclear what exact system Frost will run, but as it stands, the Knights are a team to watch in the transfer portal regarding quarterbacks.
Iowa Hawkeyes
The Iowa Hawkeyes finally had some offensive success this season, but it wasn’t because of the quarterbacks. A few of the guys who took snaps behind center this year have entered the portal, presumably to transfer down, leaving a gaping hole on the roster.
Murphy’s tools will appeal to the Hawkeyes, as will his remaining eligibility. Still, it’s hard to imagine someone leaving a stable offensive environment for the offensive wasteland in Iowa City.
Utah Utes
The Utah Utes took a step back this year, primarily due to inconsistent QB play. However, the roster is one of the better groups in the Big 12.
Most of the quarterbacks transferred out, leaving a clear path to start in Salt Lake City. Kyle Whittingham is still one of the better coaches in the sport, and the situation is stable. If Murphy wants a team he can elevate to a contender, he could find that at Utah.
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