Taulia Tagovailoa's signing brings hope to Maryland fans, but they've been there before
The transfer of Tua Tagovailoa's little brother from Alabama is the latest recruiting coup for Mike Locksley and could wind up being among the most important
fThe reaction Friday to Alabama quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa’s decision to take his talents to College Park was understandable, for a number of reasons.
Given the program he leaves, the last name he carries and the position he plays - one that has been mostly a black hole for the Terps for decades - Tagovailoa brings hope for a better future. There’s reason for Maryland fans to be excited about Tagovailoa’s arrival, but for his sake it should be tempered.
Maryland fans felt the same about Kasim Hill, who came with similar high school credentials four years ago and seemed on the verge of living up to them before injuries - two ACL tears in as many years - ended that dream. Hill is now trying to resurrect his career at Tennessee, where he is viewed more as a longshot than as a savior.
They were nearly as jacked about Josh Jackson, who had already proven himself on the college level as a redshirt freshman at Virginia Tech when he transferred to Maryland last year and then proceeded to throw seven touchdowns passes in his first two games. That’s before injuries, and a lack of confidence and consistency, set in.
They were were also elated about Lance LeGendre when he signed on the second national signing day in 2019. A highly-rated four-star prospect in high school like Hill and Tagovailoa, LeGendre started to show flashes of his running ability before his freshman year came crashing down on a dislocated shoulder late in the season.
A lot has yet to be determined before the Terps take the field for Mike Locksley’s second season as Maryland’s coach, but this much we know: He is bringing in even more talent than DJ Durkin, who recruited Hill as the headliner in the 18th-best class in the country in 2017. The Terps are currently ranked 13th for 2021.
Tagovailoa’s announcement came on the heels of the Terps getting commitments from three four-star defensive players, the most of that side of the ball in a single class than they’ve had in years - if ever. Along with the signing of five-star wide receiver Rakim Jarrett this year, it just added to the momentum that seems to be growing in Locksley’s ability to rebuild Maryland.
Locksley didn’t sign Tagovailoa simply because of the excitement surrounding his bloodlines.
As big a deal it seemed to be for Maryland fans that Locksley was able to get former Alabama star Tua Tagovailoa’s little brother, as much immediate national attention it brought a program that has received very little in recent years, he’s just another promising prospect to Locksley.
“It would be hard for me to answer that as to their process,” Locksley said of the fans’ reaction. “I know for me the last name isn’t the reason you give a guy a scholarship. Me knowing the kid and being a part of his recruiting process (while Locksley was the offensive coordinator at Alabama) I know that our excitement comes from our adding another critical piece to our team at a position that has kind of been an anomaly for us in our program.”
It has been a long time since not having a top-rate quarterback was an anomaly for the Terps.
Except for C.J. Brown, who proved to be a spectacular runner and resilient competitor during a career that spanned six years because of injuries, Maryland hasn’t had even an above-average passer since Danny O’Brien’s redshirt freshman year a decade ago. It’s been nearly 20 years since the Terps had one of their quarterbacks make an NFL roster straight out of college.
ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum got nearly as much attention what he said about Tagovailoa’s transfer as the quarterback himself.
In an interview with a Birmingham, Ala. radio station Monday, Finebaum said that the excitement surrounding Tagovailoa’s arrival in College Park might be a little premature.
“I don’t mean to beat up on Taulia, but I just think this whole thing with him is much ado about nothing,” Finebaum said. “Just from a distance, I didn’t, like, go to his high school games on Friday nights. I saw some film. I just don’t think he’s that great of a player. If he starts at Maryland and leads them to an exciting 7-5 record, good for them. But I think the sweepstakes for him was far overdone.”
Unless the NCAA approves the proposed one-time only immediate waiver for transfers - something Locskley believes will be tabled for a vote until January - Maryland fans will have to wait until the 2021 season to see Tagovailoa on the field. Not that Locksley won’t try to make that happen as soon as possible.
“Once he gets here, we’ll see if there’s any way for us to file a waiver, but we signed him knowing that he has a redshirt year,” Locksley said. “If there’s a way for us to file a waiver with this just happening, all still kind of fresh, now we know he does plan on coming here, we’ll definitely explore every option to see if there is a viable reason to file for immediate eligibility. Why wouldn’t we?”
Even though Tagovailoa played sparingly as Alabama’s No. 3 quarterback behind his brother and Mac Jones as a freshman - appearing in five games, most of them coming after Tua got hurt, and completing nine of 12 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown - many envision his playing style to be like that of former Penn State star Trace McSorley.
“He has the ability with his athleticism to extend plays, not just as a runner, but he’s one of those extend and throw guys that can throw from a lot of different platforms. Really, really competitive kid,” Locksley said. “What he’ll do is bring a competitiveness to the QB room. He’ll add to that competitiveness. I know Josh Jackson is, and I know Lance LeGendre is.”
Even if Tagovailoa has to sit a year, Locksley thinks that the two scholarship quarterbacks currently on the roster will show improvement in their second year in the coach’s system. Depending on when the 2020 season begins, LeGendre could challenge Jackson for the starting job if his ability to read defenses and show patience in the pocket improves from his freshman year, especially if Jackson continues to struggle.
“You would expect Josh Jackson to be that much better because of Year 2 in the system,” Locksley said. “And then obviously, we’re really high on Lance and still are high on Lance and his ability and his skill set. To add a player of Taulia’s calibre to that room really excites me because you want to have a successful program, it starts with having a quarterback.
“Because of what the quarterback room has looked like here for some time, I think that’s where most if not all of our excitement comes from. Being able to add a pretty critical piece to that room. We’re still one quarterback short scholarship-wise. In a perfect world, you’d like to have four scholarship quarterbacks in your program. We’re still a little thin.”
To that end, Locksley is still trying to bring in a quarterback for the 2021 class. There’s been some buzz about the Terps being able to get five-star quarterback Caleb Williams, a local kid who most believe is headed to Oklahoma. Williams recently announced the Terps being in the final three with the Sooners and reigning national champion LSU.
Though Locksley can’t speak specifically about Williams or any other high school quarterback the Terps have targeted, he said, “We’re still actively recruiting for this next class.”
At least for now, Tagovailoa could become the kind of lure that Dwayne Haskins Jr. might have been had he not decommitted after the 2015 season when Locksley, who was the team’s interim following the mid-year firing of Randy Edsall, was passed over for Durkin. This is where Tagovailoa’s name recognition and what Locksley calls “street credibility” might help the Terps.
“He’s a guy that played in all-star games, he was in the Elite 11 circuit, I do think there’s enough players that have seen his ability and his skill set where it might be able to attract some recruits, whether it’s receivers or offensive players,” Locksley said. “It’s also about what you show on the field and what you do. I think the same thing with Lance LeGendre. People want to see what he’s capable of doing. That’s the part that I’m excited about.”
Maryland fans seem even more excited.
But they’ve been disappointed before, almost too many times to count.