Oklahoma football: Lloyd Christmas and Kyler Murray

Rumors are spreading that Oklahoma football quarterback Kyler Murray could possibly return for what would be his senior football season at Oklahoma.

The rumor mill started churning last week when ESPN’s Todd McShay said the Murray family is considering another football season.

What would this mean? Could he consider spurning the MLB altogether? Could declare for the NFL draft? Could the Sooners really get a second season season with the sensational quarterback as the starter? Nobody knows any of these answers.

Murray’s baseball future certainly seems to be bright. He was drafted No. 7 overall by the Oakland As this past May and signed a multi-million dollar contract over the summer. He’s considered a five-tool player with all-star potential. Odds are still favorable that he will pursue this road and begin his path to major league stardom once the football season has come to an end.

But as Lloyd Christmas once said, “So you’re saying there’s a chance.”

Here’s a few reasons why Murray might come back to football next year.

1. Football is his first love

Kyler Murray has already turned down Major League Baseball when he was coming out of high school. He would have been drafted after his senior year at Allen had he chose to make his baseball intentions well known, but chose to play college football instead.

That twisting path lead Murray to start at Texas A&M before coming to Norman to play understudy to now Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield. At the time it appeared he would get a potential three years as the Oklahoma starter, but Mayfield earned back a year of eligibility after a bitter fight with former school Texas Tech and Murray’s baseball future came calling sooner than expected when Oakland drafted him in the first round.

Murray said after last year’s Rose Bowl that he has been preparing his entire life to lead a team to a National Championship. That’s still on the table this season, but should the Sooners fall short, he might return for another season to claim a childhood dream.

2. Oklahoma could be even better next season

The Sooners graduate some key pieces of the offensive line and would have a few draft-eligible players to worry about, but the truth is Oklahoma is primed to be even more talented next year than they are right now.

The defense, which has taken more than its share of lumps, is particularly young with only two seniors in the entire two-deep. A blockbuster defensive coordinator hire could also be coming this offseason for Oklahoma.

Murray’s announcement to return could spark potential NFL players like Marquise Brown and Cody Ford to return for another year much like the Clemson defensive line did this season. With Murray’s return the Sooners would certainly be a top two or three team entering the year.

3. Maybe he looks at the NFL?

Could Kyler Murray be leveraging his baseball contract for a potential NFL pick? It’s possible of course. Murray’s father was a legend at Texas A&M and had the potential to be great at the next level, but was too far ahead of his time.

Many believe racial stigmas played a part in keeping Kevin Murray out of the NFL. Could Kyler be on a path accomplish what his dad was never allowed to?

4. There’s always a chance he could do both baseball and football

There have been players who have done both in the past, but never at the level Murray wants to do it. Being a starting quarterback in today’s college football world – particularly in Lincoln Riley’s innovative offense – takes all summer.

However, Murray will already have a full year of experience under his belt. He’s proven in the past that he has the mental toughness to make it work, balancing spring football and baseball the past two years in Norman. The minor league baseball season ends well before he would have to report for fall camp to the Sooners.

Again, this isn’t likely, but it’s possible. And this article is all about those Lloyd Christmas odds.