Kyler Murray Flashes Johnny Manziel-Like Skills, Proves He's Texas A&M's Best QB

One year ago Sunday, the Texas A&M Aggies moved to address their future at quarterback.

Saturday afternoon, the Aggies and Kevin Sumlin finally got it right.

One day short of the one-year anniversary of Kyle Allen’s first start as the Aggies quarterback, Kevin Sumlin turned to true freshman Kyler Murray as A&M’s starter.

Given how the Aggies’ 35-28 victory over South Carolina unfolded, Sumlin and A&M should never look back.

The 247Sports 5-star recruit was excellent in his first career start and simply looked like a better fit for Sumlin’s wide-open offense. A&M being out of the College Football Playoff picture gives Sumlin even more reason to look to the future by starting the freshman for the rest of the season. 

Murray looked like anything but a first-time starter against the Gamecocks. He completed 20 of 28 passes for 228 yards with a touchdown and was A&M’s leading rusher, carrying 20 times for 156 yards with a touchdown.

He was the first A&M quarterback to rush for 100 yards in a game since Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel did so in 2013 and the first to pass for 200-plus yards and rush for 150-plus yards in a game since Manziel. 

Eric Gay/Associated Press

And perhaps even more importantly, he was a changeup from Allen. Allen seized the starting role entering this spring by performing well in A&M’s final fives games of 2014, tossing 13 touchdowns against five interceptions after relieving Kenny Hill.

But instead of getting better as a sophomore, he's regressed. In seven starts, Allen threw for 1,625 yards with 14 touchdowns against six interceptions, completing only 56.8 percent of his passes.

He threw for just one touchdown against four interceptions in A&M’s last two games, losses to Alabama and Ole Miss, and he was particularly awful in the 23-3 loss at Ole Miss.

Allen completed just 12 of 34 passes for 88 yards with an interception, and eyebrows were raised when Jake Hubenak, not Murray, replaced him in the fourth quarter with the game out of hand.

Saturday, Murray looked poised, composed and played a controlled game while stretching South Carolina’s defense with his arm and legs, which Manziel did regularly in his two-year Aggies tenure.

Rogelio V. Solis/Associated Press

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A&M OL Germain Ifedi on Kyler Murray: He played his tail off today. He did a lot of great things for us.

— Brent Zwerneman (@BrentZwerneman) October 31, 2015"

“He was relaxed,” Sumlin told SEC Network’s Laura Rutledge on the game telecast. “I thought he ran smart, slid, got on the ground and made plays when they were there, really didn’t force anything. That’s the biggest thing with a young guy, let the game come to him.”

Sumlin was noncommittal when asked about his quarterback situation going forward, but he said Murray “let the game come to him and hopefully we can increase the offense.”

November will provide an opportunity for Murray to prove himself, with SEC games against Auburn, Vanderbilt and LSU ahead. If he keeps flashing Manziel-like skills, there’s no reason for Sumlin to use anyone else under center for the next three years.