Former UCLA lineman Christaphany Murray commits to Oklahoma

Former UCLA offensive lineman Christaphany Murray announced on Twitter on Thursday that he had committed to Oklahoma, where he will rejoin former Bruins teammate Theo Howard.

“YESSSSIRRR,” Howard wrote as part of his retweet of Murray’s announcement.

Murray started every game during his two seasons at UCLA, moving from center to guard four games into his career upon the return of Boss Tagaloa from a suspension. Now the Bruins must replace both players after the graduation of Tagaloa and the departure of Murray in January to the transfer portal.

Murray must sit out next season unless current transfer rules are relaxed, but will have two years of eligibility remaining. Howard will be immediately eligible because he departed as a graduate transfer but is recovering from an Achilles tendon injury. Howard tweeted in late January that he would “be fine and solid before the season.”

Howard appeared in only one game — against Oklahoma — in 2019 because of hand injuries, allowing him to redshirt. He did not catch a pass against the Sooners, ending a streak of having caught at least one pass in 28 consecutive games.

Howard had been an honorable mention All-Pac-12 Conference selection in 2018, when he caught 51 passes for 677 yards and four touchdowns.

Murray and Howard are going from a team that went 3-9 and 4-8 over the last two seasons to one that went 12-2 and 12-2, twice appearing in the College Football Playoff. The Sooners also walloped UCLA in each of the last two seasons, winning 49-21 in 2018 at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium and 48-14 in 2019 at the Rose Bowl.

“God’s Plan..And His Only,” Murray wrote of his move on Twitter.