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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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Despite entering 2025 as the preseason No. 1, Texas finished the year with a 10–3 overall record, a season marred by three significant losses to Ohio State, Florida, and Georgia. That finish left the Longhorns ranked No. 12 in the final College Football Playoff standings, just outside the postseason field.
While star quarterback Arch Manning has already declared his intention to return for the 2026 season, head coach Steve Sarkisian has been aggressive in the January transfer window, working to surround Manning with more talent and depth.
On Thursday, Texas made its latest addition, shoring up the quarterback room as Coastal Carolina transfer M.J. Morris reportedly signed with the Longhorns, giving Sarkisian a reliable, veteran backup behind Manning entering next season.
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M.J. Morris arrived on campus as a highly regarded four-star recruit out of Carrollton, Georgia, ranked among the top quarterbacks in the 2022 class and holding more than 30 scholarship offers before committing to NC State.
At NC State, Morris broke out as the program’s first true freshman starting quarterback since Philip Rivers, flashing early promise by throwing for 648 yards with seven touchdowns and just one interception across five appearances, while also contributing as a runner.
He returned to the Wolfpack in 2023 and added 719 passing yards and seven touchdowns (five interceptions) in four games before transferring to Maryland ahead of the 2024 season. With the Terrapins, Morris posted a compact but efficient stat line, totaling 350 yards, five touchdowns, and five interceptions in limited action.
Morris landed at Coastal Carolina for the 2025 campaign, finishing the year with 304 passing yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions over four games.
Across his collegiate career, Morris has compiled 2,021 passing yards, 20 touchdown passes, and 15 interceptions, along with over 140 rushing yards, appearing in 16 games with nine career starts.
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Texas’ 2025 season exposed the importance of reliable quarterback depth, as Manning missed practice time with a concussion and the Longhorns were forced to lean on graduate transfers as emergency options at various points.
Adding Morris gives Sarkisian a more experienced, multi-program signal-caller capable of operating a pro-style offense, managing the pocket, and providing a trusted veteran presence in both practice settings and potential in-game relief situations.
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