Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian announced at his Wednesday press conference that Maalik Murphy will make his first-career start Saturday against BYU.

Murphy, a redshirt freshman from Junipero Serra High School in California, entered last week's Houston game when Quinn Ewers went down with a Grade 2 AC joint sprain. With Ewers considered week-to-week, Murphy will get his first extensive action in a Texas uniform. He's completed 4-of-8 passes for 47 yards in spot duty this season.

The 6-foot-5-inch, 238-pound quarterback earned the backup quarterback job in the offseason over five-star freshman Arch Manning after an impressive spring game performance in which he completed 9-of-13 passes for 165 yards, including a 79-yard bomb to receiver Johntay Cook. He and Manning have split first-team reps this week because Murphy was not 100 percent healthy, but Sark said he has not made a decision on if Manning will play. 

"Maalik's a natural passer," Sarkisian said Monday. "He throws a very beautiful ball. I think there's not a throw that he can't make. I think he's got really good leadership qualities. The guys like playing with Maalik, and that's a positive as a quarterback."

Texas (6–1) is 17.5-point favorites against BYU. The Longhorns need to win out to stay in the College Football Playoff hunt.