Texas QB Ewers is week to week with a shoulder injury. Murphy is likely to start against BYU

Updated Oct. 23, 2023 1:56 p.m. ET

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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is week to week with an injury to his throwing shoulder, coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday, with Maalik Murphy likely stepping into the starting role for the No. 7 Longhorns this week against BYU.

Murphy and top recruit Arch Manning will get plenty of snaps in practice to prepare for the game, Sarkisian said.

“If the game was being playing today, Maalik would start,” Sarkisian said. “Arch will be ready to go.”

Murphy finished Texas' 31-24 victory over Houston after Ewers left the game in the third quarter Saturday. Ewers had his right arm in a sling by the time he left the stadium.

Sarkisian gave no specifics on the injury or a timeline of when Ewers might return.

“These injuries, some guys come back sooner than others,” Sarkisian said.

Ewers appeared to get hurt on a third-quarter drive when was he first sacked and then later took a hard hit on his left shoulder and landed on his right side.

Video of the second hit shows Ewers using his right arm to get up from the ground. He still threw two more pass attempts before leaving the game.

“He tried to play,” Sarkisian said. “That last drive he was not healthy. To his credit, he knew, ‘I don’t think I can do it.’”

Ewers has passed for 1,915 yards and 13 touchdowns this season. He also has become a running threat with five touchdowns, including two from 29 and 30 yards.

The injury is the second to send Ewers to the sideline in the past two seasons. A sprained clavicle joint sustained against Alabama knocked him out of that Sept. 9 game and the next three.

Last season, Texas had experienced backup and former starter Hudson Card to step in, but he transferred to Purdue.

Murphy completed 1 of 2 passes for 7 yards against Houston, and he directed the Longhorns on what ended up being the game-winning touchdown drive.

Murphy redshirted as a freshman in 2022, then held off Manning, an early enrollee, in the spring and summer to hold on to the No. 2 job. Murphy has appeared in four games in mop-up duty but is just 4 of 8 passing overall. Manning has not played yet.

Sarkisian called both “elite competitors.”

“Maalik a natural passer. He throws a very beautiful ball," Sarkisian said. “There's not a throw he can’t make.”

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