When Sumlin closed the
deal
to sign five-star quarterback Kyler Murray, who legitimately changed his mind and was close to signing with the Texas Longhorns late in the recruiting process, he made Murray and his father, Kevin Murray, some kind of promise about playing time. Who knows exactly what that promise was, but multiple sources say promises were made.
But then five-star sophomore Kyle Allen won the job in camp and through most early games gained the majority of playing time. Tensions grew between Kyler Murray and Allen. Tensions also grew between Kyler and Spavital. Sumlin’s promise of how much playing time Murray would receive was at best misinterpreted by the Murray family or at worst was a promise that was not kept.
Hence, when Murray was yanked in the Alabama game after throwing an interception, he went full F-bomb on Spavital and his fate for the Ole Miss game was sealed. But the drama did not stop with the Aggie coaching staff deciding early last week not to play Murray in Oxford.
Murray apparently did not take a single snap with the first-team offense in practice and was told he would travel and suit out for the Ole Miss game, even though he would not play. Players began taking sides in the locker-room more than ever, some believing Allen’s physical (shoulder) and mental struggles should have opened the door for Murray to get a legitimate chance to make the team his.
Some players also believed Murray should have been left at
home
, rather than face the embarrassment of national television cameras focused on him any time Allen made a mistake. Then, the worst-case scenario happened. Allen wasn’t just bad. He was awful. And there was Murray, shamed on the sideline, for all the college football world to see.