Freshman QB Kyler Murray to transfer from Texas A&M

TexAgs' Billy Liucci has confirmed rumors — and, perhaps fears — on Thursday that freshman quarterback Kyler Murray has requested a transfer from Texas A&M.

The A&M athletic department made it official Thursday evening with the following release: "Texas A&M freshman quarterback Kyler Murray has left the football program and has been granted his release."

He is the second highly-touted quarterback to transfer from Texas A&M in a week. Kyle Allen, the nation’s top-rated passer in the 2014 recruiting class, announced last week that he was transferring.

Allen has not yet decided where he will continue his career.

Murray’s exit brings to an end a controversial and chaotic relationship between Texas A&M and the diminutive yet dynamic quarterback. This football season Murray completed 72 of 121 passes for 686 yards and five touchdowns with seven interceptions. He also rushed for 335 yards and a touchdown.

Murray started three games for A&M and led the Aggies to two victories. However, he did not play particularly well in a 41-17 victory over Western Carolina and was replaced in the starting lineup by Allen, who started the first seven games of the season.

Murray was considered the top prize of the Aggies' 2015 recruiting class, which was ranked among the nation’s Top Ten.

The son of legendary A&M quarterback Kevin Murray, Kyler showed a flair for the dramatic while setting numerous records, winning three state championships and never losing a game as a starter at Allen High School. He was heavily recruited nationwide. In May of 2014 he announced he would attend with Texas A&M over Oregon.

However, apparently concerned about coach Kevin Sumlin’s future plans for the offense, Murray made an unofficial visit to the University of Texas last December.

After the Murrays met with Sumlin, Kyler re-confirmed his commitment and signed with A&M on national signing day.

Murray is also an accomplished baseball player and was projected as a possible first round choice in the 2015, so A&M had to sweat out the possibility he would choose to pursue a career in Major League Baseball. Yet, weeks before the draft Murray announced that he intended to play football and baseball at A&M and requested not to be selected in the draft.

Murray and Allen competed for the Aggies starting quarterback job in August camp. Allen was named the starter, but Murray played in the season-opener against Arizona State. He completed 4 of 9 passes for 49 yards, threw an interception and rushed for 69 yards in a 38-17 A&M victory.

Murray also saw action in the next three games, though he did not attempt a pass in a 28-21 overtime victory over Arkansas. The following week he did not play in a victory over Mississippi State. He did see limited action in a 41-23 loss to Alabama, in which Allen threw three interceptions which were returned for touchdowns.

The first indication that Murray was unhappy at A&M surfaced the following week in a 23-3 loss to Ole Miss.

Allen, who later revealed he was hampered by a sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder, stumbled through a dreadful showing. In one stretch he completed just two of 20 passes for minus-3 yards.

Yet, third-string quarterback Jake Hubenak eventually replaced Allen. Later, it was revealed that Murray was suspended from the game for cursing at Offensive Coordinator Jake Spavital during practice that week.

With Allen struggling, Murray was put in the starting lineup for a 35-28 victory over South Carolina. He completed 20 of 28 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 156 yards in a touchdown.

The next week, though, he threw three interceptions in a 26-10 loss to Auburn. He then threw two more interceptions in the victory over Western Carolina and lost the starting job.

He did not play the rest of the season.

As it turns out, he won’t play again for Texas A&M.