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And with a resounding crash, it all came tumbling down.
The eight-day saga of the Texas Longhorns, Allen quarterback Kyler Murray, and the potential for an incredible and historic Longhorns run to National Signing Day ended on Thursday evening with a thud when Murray dropped four simple words:
Following my heart... #GigEm
— Kyler Murray (@TheKylerMurray) January 30, 2015
And so the wrong Let's Ride emerged late Thursday night:
— Jake Spavital (@JakeSpavital) January 30, 2015
Lest anyone confuse it with a shot at Texas, the Texas A&M offensive coordinator was using that tagline before Texas head coach Charlie Strong.
The tweet from Murray came several hours after an in-home visit from Aggies head coach Kevin Sumlin, who was apparently able to allay any fears from the Murray camp and overcome whatever differences he may have had with Kyler's father Kevin.
And now Strong won't have his opportunity to sell the Longhorns program one last time on Friday night.
Murray's offered the following thoughts to ESPN on his decision:
"Texas A&M is where my heart is at," said Murray late Thursday night. "Coach [Charlie] Strong and Texas is a great opportunity, but I felt that A&M was the place for me. Not because of my dad having played there, but just the right place for me."
To be sure, there is still plenty on the table for Texas, but the news probably knocks the Longhorns out of the mix with four-star wide receiver DaMarkus Lodge, who is mostly likely headed to Ole Miss. However, the potential hire of his head coach Joey McGuire as the Texas tight ends/special teams coach could give the Horns one last shot at his services.
It likely won't be a death blow for Texas chances with any other prospects out this time, though it could make some races tighter.
The obvious issues is that it leaves the Horns with only one quarterback target on the board -- Florida State commit Kai Locksley, who from all accounts had a successful in-home visit with the Seminoles staff on Wednesday evening.
Irving Cistercian quarterback Matthew Merrick provides some insurance as a potential full scholarship player immediately in a worst-case scenario, but Locksley is now even more of a priority.