Kyler Murray’s departure from Texas A&M was a turning point in his college football career, one that eventually led him to the Heisman Trophy and a promising NFL career. However, the reasons behind his decision to leave the Aggies have recently come to light, thanks to former Texas A&M defensive lineman Daylon Mack, who revealed that a heated, profanity-laced confrontation with offensive coordinator Jake Spavital during the 2015 season marked the beginning of the end for Murray’s time in College Station.
Murray, one of the top-rated dual-threat quarterbacks in the class of 2015, came into Texas A&M with high expectations but found himself sitting behind fellow five-star recruit Kyle Allen on the depth chart. During a pivotal Week 7 matchup against Alabama, Allen threw three interceptions that were returned for touchdowns. According to Mack, this set the stage for a significant moment in Murray’s college career.
“Kyle Allen threw three pick-sixes against Alabama,” Mack recounted. “After the second one, they put Kyler in, but he also threw an interception. They pulled Kyler out, put Kyle back in, and he threw another pick-six. Then they put Kyler back in. That’s when Kyler turned to Spavital and said, ‘F*** you, I don’t want to play for you.’”
The outburst, which had been largely unknown to the public, was shared by Murray with Mack in the aftermath of the game. “Kyler told me about it when we got back to the room,” Mack said. “He was upset. He felt he should’ve been allowed to finish the game after Allen’s poor performance. Kyler was confident he was the better player.”
The situation escalated the following week when Allen struggled again in a loss to Ole Miss, completing just 12 of 34 passes for 88 yards. Despite Allen’s poor performance, Murray didn’t see the field, as he was being punished for his outburst against Spavital. Allen’s inconsistent play continued, and though he eventually sat out with an injury, Murray was given little opportunity to prove himself. This series of events soured Murray’s relationship with the coaching staff, particularly Spavital.
Murray finally got a chance to start against South Carolina, where he performed well, but the damage was already done. Despite being told by head coach Kevin Sumlin that he would be the starting quarterback after Allen announced his transfer, Murray had already made up his mind. “Kyler didn’t want to be the backup option just because Kyle was leaving,” Mack explained. “He told Coach Sumlin, ‘I’m not going to stay just because you’re offering me the starting job now. I’m leaving, too.’”
Murray’s decision to transfer to Oklahoma was largely a result of what he perceived as mismanagement by the Texas A&M coaching staff. Spavital’s mishandling of the quarterback situation and the punishment for Murray’s outburst were major factors in the breakdown of trust between Murray and the program.
After Murray’s departure, Spavital and Texas A&M parted ways, and Spavital moved on to become the offensive coordinator at Baylor. Meanwhile, Murray thrived at Oklahoma, winning the Heisman Trophy and becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, proving that Texas A&M’s failure to fully recognize his potential was a costly mistake.
In the end, the situation with Murray not only tarnished Texas A&M’s 2015 season but also demonstrated how poor handling of a star player can have long-lasting consequences. What could have been a legendary college career at A&M was derailed, and it’s clear now that the program’s treatment of Murray was, in many ways, unfair and miscalculated.
