Oklahoma football: Don’t count on Kyler Murray sticking around

Since Kyler Murray signed what is reported to be a $4.6 million contract after being drafted No. 9 overall in the June MLB Draft by the Oakland A’s, it has been widely assumed that 2018 would be his final season of Oklahoma football.

Certainly a reasonable assumption, given that it is somewhat surprising that the Oakland A’s organization is even allowing the presumptive Sooner starting quarterback to return to play football this season.

Head coach Lincoln Riley cast some dispersions on that thinking when he met with reporters following Oklahoma’s first preseason training camp session on Friday. He told reporters that he was not ruling out that Murray could return after this season for his final year of eligibility.

"“We’ll see if it’s his (Murray’s) final year,” Riley told the media on Friday, including the Oklahoma City Oklahoman.. “That hasn’t been determined yet.“I’m not worried about it if it is or it isn’t. That’s gonna have no impact on this year.”"

I’m not sure what Riley’s motive was in casting an element of doubt about Murray’s future status after this season, other than the belief that nothing is final until it is final. The Sooner head coach did qualify his comments, however, by stating matter of factly:

"“If (Kyler)wants to go play baseball after this year, then we’ll wish him well and be happy for him…The ball’s gonna be in his court, where it should be.”"

It is true that no one but Murray himself knows the answer to this question. And I can assure you that the A’s will have a giant say in the matter, as well, if they haven’t already.

I’m sure Murray is enticed by the possibility of being drafted by two professional sports leagues. He wouldn’t have to play two seasons for that to happen. He could declare for the NFL Draft after this season. Unless he has a Baker Mayfield-like season, though, his chances of being a first-, second-, or even a third-round draft pick do not look promising at this time.

Given what we know now, Murray’s future as a professional athlete appears better suited for baseball. You can be certain that is what Oakland officials are planting in his head.

Let’s set the record straight right now. Murray is not going to play football at Oklahoma beyond the 2018 season.

Heck, it’s not even a sure thing he is going to start or even finish this coming season as the OU starting quarterback. If you believe what Riley is saying, he hasn’t made a final determination yet, although I’m fairly certain, barring injury, we’ll see Murray behind center when the season opens on Sept. 1.

Regardless, I believe we are going to see a lot of Austin Kendall at quarterback this season as well, if for no other reason than to get him game reps and experience for what is likely to be his starting job in 2019.

The Sooners also have some future depth building up at quarterback for the outlying years. Kendall is just a sophomore. Tanner Mordecai, rated as four stars by 247Sports and also recruited by Georgia, Baylor and Oklahoma State, is part of OU’s 2018 incoming class; Spencer Rattler, another highly recruited dual-threat QB and a four-star commitment for 2019, is waiting in the wings. Rattler was heavily recruited by the likes of Alabama, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Arizona and Miami (Florida).

So Oklahoma’s quarterback pipeline appears to be in good shape going forward, regardless of whether Murray stays or goes after this season. In fact a strong case could be made that the way the Sooner depth chart at the QB position sets up for this season and the immediate years thereafter is largely dependent on what Murray’s decision ends up being at the end of this season.

Spoiler alert: Don’t expect Murray to be wearing the No. 1 Sooner jersey in 2019.