Former Texas target Kyler Murray transfers to Oklahoma

Kyler Murray's future will remain tied to the Texas Longhorns after head coach Charlie Strong and company reportedly decided not to pursue the Texas A&M Aggies transfer who was announced as the newest member of the Oklahoma Sooners on Thursday.

"We're very happy to welcome Kyler to our program, and we look forward to working with him," said Sooners head coach Bob Stoops in the official statement confirming Murray's decision.

The former consensus five-star prospect represents a a significant Christmas present for Stoops and the Sooners, who will likely have to replace current starting quarterback Baker Mayfield after the 2016 season. Following his transfer from Texas Tech, Mayfield lost two seasons of eligibility and will be a senior next season barring any further developments with the NCAA.

So Murray will have a strong chance of landing the job in 2017 when he becomes eligible after sitting out a year because of his decision to leave College Station.

Texas was the main contender to pull the Texas A&M legacy away from his father's alma mater less than a year ago after a surprise visit in January. However, Murray ultimately decided to stick with his pledge to the Aggies, in large part due to the stacked wide receiver depth chart there, but left after a public altercation with offensive coordinator Jake Spavital, even though another former five-star quarterback, Kyle Allen, also decided to transfer days before Murray.

During the recruiting process, Murray also considered Oklahoma, taking an official visit to Norman in October of 2014. Cody Thomas still has two seasons of eligibility remaining and the Sooners hold pledges from 2016 quarterback Austin Kendall of North Carolina and 2017 quarterback Chris Robison of Mesquite Horn.

In nine games at Texas A&M this season, Murray completed 59.5 percent of his passes and threw five touchdowns and seven interceptions, displaying some questionable decision-making that raises concerns about his ability to effectively translate his skills to the college game at 5'11 and 185 pounds. He was not able to complete a pass of more than 26 yards as a freshman.

As a result of the transfer to Oklahoma, the sagacity of the Texas decision not to pursue Murray will likely be put in high relief during future Red River Showdowns. So be ready for some second-guessing if the former Allen star does manage to fulfill the potential that intrigued Texas not so long ago.

Same as it ever was.