<
        >

          SEC Blog

          The QB train is leaving College Station: A Texas A&M timeline

          • Sam Khan Jr., ESPN Staff WriterMay 5, 2016, 04:10 PM
            Close
            • Covers Texas A&M and the SEC.
            • Joined ESPN in 2012.
            • Graduate of the University of Houston.
            Follow on X

          Texas A&M has had a drama-filled two years at the quarterback position, and that's after Johnny Manziel left. Both on the field and in recruiting, it's been a roller-coaster ride that seems to follow a similar pattern -- secure commitment from top-rated passer, then see that quarterback transfer or decommit. There were the fierce recruiting victories for the services of Kyle Allen (now at Houston) and Texas high school legend Kyler Murray (now at Oklahoma). Allen lasted two years and Murray one before transferring. There was the quick rise -- and quicker fall -- of Kenny Hill aka Kenny Trill (now at TCU).

          The latest chapter came Wednesday night, when the Aggies lost a commitmment from QB Tate Martell, No. 73 in the ESPN 300. That resulted in a Twitter rant from Texas A&M receivers coach Aaron Moorehead and a decommitment from another Aggies' ESPN 300 recruit, WR Mannie Netherly.

          Here's a look back at the ups and downs of Texas A&M's quarterback situation in recent years:

          Feb. 25, 2013: Texas A&M offers a scholarship to Kyle Allen, then a junior at Scottsdale (Arizona) Desert Mountain High School.

          June 4, 2013: Allen commits to Texas A&M. He chose the Aggies over his other four finalists, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma State and UCLA.

          June 8, 2013: The Aggies offer a scholarship to two class of 2015 quarterbacks: Allen (Texas) High’s Kyler Murray and Stephenville (Texas) High’s Jarrett Stidham.

          Jan. 13, 2014: Allen begins classes at Texas A&M after graduating early from high school.

          Feb. 28, 2014: Allen participates in his first spring practice at Texas A&M. “He threw some great balls today,” coach Kevin Sumlin said of Allen afterward.

          March 7, 2014: Stidham commits to Texas Tech, leaving Murray as the Aggies’ lone 2015 quarterback offer (Stidham eventually flipped his commitment to Baylor late in his recruitment).

          May 28, 2014: Murray commits to Texas A&M over Oregon and Auburn, his other finalists.

          Aug. 16, 2014: Sophomore Kenny Hill named Texas A&M’s starting quarterback over Allen, 12 days before the Aggies’ season opener vs. South Carolina.

          Aug. 28, 2014: Hill throws for a Texas A&M record 511 yards and three touchdowns in a 52-28 rout of South Carolina, the Aggies' first game of the post-Johnny Manziel era.

          Oct. 31, 2014: Allen is named the starting quarterback, replacing Hill after the Aggies lose three consecutive games -- including a 59-0 rout at Alabama -- that followed their 5-0 start. Allen makes his starting debut the next day vs. Louisiana-Monroe.

          Nov. 8, 2014: In his second start, Allen leads the Aggies to an upset win at then-No. 3 Auburn, 41-38. The true freshman quarterback throws for 277 yards and four touchdowns in the victory.

          Dec. 13, 2014: With his undefeated record as a high school starting quarterback on the line, Murray leads Allen High to a 52-34 comeback win against Dallas Skyline. The Eagles trailed 28-10 midway through the third quarter and 34-17 late in the third. Murray -- who throws for 406 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for 115 yards -- engineers Allen High’s run of 35 unanswered points in the game’s final 18 minutes to clinch a berth to a third consecutive state championship game.

          Dec. 20, 2014: Murray leads Allen High to a 47-16 win against Houston Cypress Ranch, concluding his prep career with three state championships and a 42-0 record as a starting quarterback.

          Dec. 29, 2014: Allen leads the Aggies to a 45-37 win against West Virginia in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. He throws for 294 yards and four touchdowns and rushes for 33 and another touchdown en route to claiming the game’s offensive MVP honors.

          Jan. 9, 2015: Texas A&M gives Hill his release to transfer.

          Jan. 18, 2015: Murray takes an unofficial visit to Texas along with fellow 2015 ESPN 300 recruit DaMarkus Lodge. Both tweet a photo of a Texas jersey with their high school numbers. Here’s Murray’s. A frenzy ensues.

          Jan. 29, 2015: Sumlin, offensive coordinator Jake Spavital and receivers coach Aaron Moorehead make an in-home visit with the Murray family. Texas coach Charlie Strong is scheduled to have an in-home visit the following day but the Aggies convince Murray to affirm his commitment, which he makes public via Twitter and Murray cancels Strong's scheduled visit.

          Feb. 4, 2015: Murray signs a national letter of intent with Texas A&M following two weeks of craziness after his visit to Texas.

          May 6, 2015: Murray, also a highly-regarded baseball prospect, says he’s opting out of the MLB draft to go to Texas A&M and play both sports.

          May 9, 2015: Blinn College quarterback Jake Hubenak commits to Texas A&M. He becomes the second quarterback in the Aggies’ 2015 recruiting class, joining Murray.

          June 5, 2015: Murray graduates from Allen High. He enrolls at Texas A&M shortly thereafter.

          July 16, 2015: Murray attends the ESPYs, where he’s named Gatorade High School Male Athlete of the Year.

          Aug. 9, 2015: Hubenak arrives at Texas A&M, a day before training camp is set to begin. He joins the preseason quarterback competition with Allen and Murray.

          Aug. 20, 2015: 2017 ESPN 300 quarterback Tate Martell of Las Vegas powerhouse Bishop Gorman verbally commits to Texas A&M over Alabama, Michigan, USC and Washington.

          Aug. 24, 2015: Allen is named the starting quarterback, beating Murray in a training camp competition for the job.

          Sept. 5, 2015: Allen and Murray both play in the Aggies’ 38-17 season-opening win against Arizona State. Allen struggles for much of the night; Murray provides a spark but Allen re-enters in the fourth quarter to lead three touchdown drives and secure the win.

          Oct. 17, 2015: After leading the Aggies to a 5-0 start and leading the SEC in passing efficiency through the first five weeks of the season, Allen throws three interceptions that are returned for touchdowns in Texas A&M’s 41-23 loss to Alabama. Murray also plays and throws an interception. It’s later discovered that Murray lashed out at Spavital on the sideline during the game and that Allen sprained the AC joint in his throwing shoulder.

          Oct. 24, 2015: Allen is 12-for-34 passing for 88 yards in a 23-3 loss at Ole Miss. Allen is removed from the game in the fourth quarter for Hubenak, who completes 6 of 11 passes for 46 yards. Murray remains on the bench as punishment for the sideline incident a week prior.

          Oct. 31, 2015: Murray makes his starting debut, taking the job earlier in the week after Sumlin said he reopened the quarterback competition. He puts together a dazzling performance, throwing for 223 yards and rushing for 156 in a 35-28 win over South Carolina. Allen doesn’t play.

          Nov. 14, 2015: Murray completes 22 of 39 passes for 191 yards and three touchdowns but throws two interceptions in the Aggies’ 41-17 win over Western Carolina. Allen, who didn’t play the week before in a loss to Auburn (Hubenak did when Murray left that game with an injury), makes his return to the field, going 6-for-6 passing for 88 yards and a touchdown late in the game.

          Nov. 21, 2015: Allen, who reclaimed the starting job earlier in the week, leads the Aggies to a 25-0 win at Vanderbilt, throwing for 336 yards and a touchdown. Murray is third on the depth chart.

          Nov. 28, 2015: Allen starts again but is 15-for-28 passing for 161 yards, a touchdown and an interception in a 19-7 loss at LSU. Murray is again third on the depth chart behind Hubenak.

          Dec. 10, 2015: Allen announces he’s transferring out of the program.

          Dec. 16, 2015: Murray misses the Aggies’ practice as he contemplates his future.

          Dec. 17, 2015: Murray decides to leave Texas A&M. Hubenak remains the only quarterback on the roster who has taken a game snap in 2015.

          Dec. 24, 2015: Murray transfers to Oklahoma.

          Dec. 30, 2015: In his first career start, Hubenak completes 28-of-48 passes for 307 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in the Aggies' 27-21 loss to Louisville in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl.

          Jan. 3, 2016: Texas A&M and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Jake Spavital part ways. In February, Spavital accepts the offensive coordinator job at Cal under coach Sonny Dykes.

          Jan. 4, 2016: Former Oklahoma quarterback Trevor Knight announces he is transferring to Texas A&M. Knight, a graduate transfer, has one year of eligibility remaining and can play in 2016. He enrolls in time for A&M's spring semester to participate in spring football.

          Jan. 5, 2016: Allen transfers to Houston.

          Jan. 8, 2016: Sumlin hires former UCLA offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone as the Aggies' offensive coordinator.

          Jan. 21, 2016: The Aggies get a commitment from four-star 2016 quarterback Nick Starkel, who was previously committed to Oklahoma State. Starkel later signs on Feb. 3, 2016, national signing day.

          April 11, 2016: Two days following the completion of spring practice, Sumlin announces Knight will be the Aggies' starting quarterback in 2016.

          April 18, 2016: Martell announces on his Twitter page that he is still committed to Texas A&M but plans to take all five of his official visits and details a list of every school that has offered him a scholarship and schools that he would like to visit or receive an offer from. "At this time I do believe that Texas A&M is the best school for me, but I'm going to give every school that recruits me a fair chance to prove me wrong," Martell said in his tweet. "By doing that, in the end, I will know that I will be at the right school for me." The tweet has since been deleted.

          May 4, 2016: Martell announces on Twitter that he is reopening his recruitment, essentially backing away from his pledge to Texas A&M, the school he committed to more than nine months prior.

          This leads to a Twitter firestorm that involves Texas A&M receivers coach Aaron Moorehead and the decommitment of WR Mannie Netherly, No. 181 in the ESPN 300. All in all, it was another bad night -- in a long line of them during the past couple of years -- for the Aggies.