After a decorated Maryland career that left him atop the leaderboards for most of the Terrapins’ passing records, quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa entered the transfer portal Friday, a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to The Baltimore Banner.
Tagovailoa solidified a quarterback position in College Park that often resembled a revolving door over the last decade. He arrived as a transfer from Alabama for the 2020 season and steadily built his credentials from there, finishing as the Big Ten’s all-time leading passer with 11,256 yards. In 2023, he also paced the conference in passing yards (3,377) and passing touchdowns (25).
Tagovailoa opted out of this season’s Music City Bowl, which the Terps won against Auburn, and coach Mike Locksley told 105.7 The Fan at the time that Tagovailoa was weighing his options — whether that be the NFL draft or the transfer portal.
“We certainly thank him and his family for all he’s given this program over the last four years,” Locksley said last month.
Tagovailoa has exhausted his college eligibility, so a transfer would require a waiver from the NCAA to grant him a sixth season. Should the waiver be granted, Tagovailoa would be considered a graduate transfer and would be eligible to play immediately for another program.
Without Tagovailoa during the bowl game, Maryland tested Billy Edwards Jr. and Cameron Edge. It served as an audition, of sorts, as a quarterback battle begins again at Maryland. The Terps also landed their own quarterback from the portal, sophomore MJ Morris from NC State.
The 23-year-old Tagovailoa threw for a program-record 3,860 yards in 2021 and finishes as Maryland’s leader in career passing touchdowns (76), career completions (955) and career 300-yard passing games (15).
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