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Max Olson, ESPN Staff Writer
Duke transfer quarterback Maalik Murphy has committed to Oregon State, he told ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Thursday.
Murphy led the Blue Devils to a 9-3 season and threw a school-record 26 touchdown passes in 2024. He’ll have two more seasons of eligibility with the Beavers.
The 6-foot-5, 230-pound redshirt sophomore entered the transfer portal on Dec. 10 after Duke began recruiting Tulane transfer Darian Mensah, the No. 2 quarterback in ESPN’s transfer rankings. Mensah committed to the Blue Devils on Dec. 11.
Oregon State was a finalist for Murphy when he transferred a year ago, but he chose to join Duke under first-year coach Manny Diaz and threw for 2,933 yards on 60% passing with 28 total TDs and 12 interceptions.
The Blue Devils exceeded expectations in his first season as a full-time starter after being picked to finish 11th in the ACC’s preseason poll. They’ll close out their season against No. 14 Ole Miss in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on Jan. 2. Henry Belin IV is expected to start in Murphy’s absence.
Murphy, a former ESPN 300 recruit from Gardena, California, began his career at Texas in 2022 and backed up starter Quinn Ewers for two seasons. He led the Longhorns to two Big 12 wins in 2023 while Ewers missed time with an injury but decided to transfer when Ewers opted to return in 2024.
In his second portal recruitment, Murphy also took visits to Auburn and Kentucky before deciding to join Oregon State.
The Beavers were in the market for a starter after Gevani McCoy entered the transfer portal earlier this month. McCoy, a transfer from Idaho, started nine games before Ben Gulbranson took over to finish out the 5-7 season.
Oregon State has backups Gabarri Johnson and Kallen Gutridge returning next season and will add incoming freshman Tristan Ti’a.