Earlier this offseason, Duke QB Maalik Murphy shocked everyone by entering the transfer portal after leading Duke to a 9-3 campaign and breaking the school record for passing touchdowns in a season with 26.
Duke replaced Murphy with star Darian Mensah, and Murphy transferred to Oregon State.
Why Did Maalik Murphy Leave Duke?
As confirmed in a recent interview, leaving Duke was not Murphy’s decision. He wanted to remain the Blue Devils’ starter, but they had other plans.
Spoke with new Oregon State QB Maalik Murphy for the first time today, and he touched on what led to his departure from Duke after one season. pic.twitter.com/ghx7iXNZ4z
— Dylan Jacobs (@DylJacobs) March 4, 2025
Duke had its best season in a decade in 2024 under first-year head coach Manny Diaz. They were a real factor in the ACC, and Murphy was a big part of that. He transferred in before the season after being a backup at Texas and was named the starter, putting together a remarkable year.
After the season, Murphy surprisingly entered the portal, with many expecting him to have vast interest from other teams. The Blue Devils then made a massive move by bringing in Tulane star Darian Mensah, one of the top players in the portal.
It quickly became clear that this was Duke’s decision, not Murphy’s. Duke was looking to build on a great year and take the next step forward, and Mensah was brought in to replace Murphy.
Murphy mentioned that it wasn’t his choice to leave and that he has no hard feelings toward the program.
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He may have gotten the short end of the stick in this situation, but he hopes to make the most of the opportunity as he joins an Oregon State program looking to rebound.
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