Texas A&M gives quarterback Kyler Murray his release to transfer

Texas A&M quarterback Kyler Murray has left the team and has been granted his release to transfer.

The highly touted freshman is the second Texas A&M quarterback to transfer from the school in a week after Kyle Allen left last Thursday.

The move leaves the Aggies in a difficult predicament for the Music City Bowl against Louisville on Dec. 30. Texas A&M has just one scholarship quarterback on its roster in Jake Hubenak, a junior college transfer from Blinn College who played sparingly this season.

Murray missed practice Wednesday and Coach Kevin Sumlin said at the time that the quarterback was “going through some things and didn’t feel well.”

Utes sign Santa Monica College transfer

Utah has signed junior college transfer Troy Williams to a letter of intent, the school announced Thursday.

The 6-foot-2, 197-pound quarterback is transferring from Santa Monica College. He originally signed with Washington out of high school and spent two seasons in the program, redshirting in 2013 and playing five games in 2014.

Williams threw for 2,750 yards with 31 touchdowns and four interceptions in 2015.

Quarterback is an immediate need for the Utes with starter Travis Wilson and backup Kendal Thompson exhausting their eligibility after the Las Vegas Bowl on Saturday.

Freshman Chase Hansen was thought to be the heir apparent, but he switched to safety midway through the season and his future position is now in question.

Williams is planning to enroll in school for the spring semester.

Etc.

New Missouri Coach Barry Odom hired Josh Heupel as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Heupel is finishing his first season as assistant head coach/offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Utah State and will join the staff after the Aggies play in the Idaho Potato Bowl on Tuesday against Akron. The school will release contract details at a later date. ...

Ohio State, which is already missing suspended defensive tackle Adolphus Washington, might be without injured defensive lineman Tommy Schutt when the Buckeyes play Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1 in Glendale, Arizona. Schutt, a senior who started the first seven games before missing the next two after surgery to repair a fracture in his wrist, was hurt during practice. “I don’t know how bad yet,” coach Urban Meyer said Thursday. “But we’ve got depth issues inside right now on defense.”