Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa aggravates MCL sprain, considered game-time decision vs. Northwestern

Maryland football can breathe a sigh of relief, having avoided a major injury to another quarterback. Taulia Tagovailoa, the gunslinger who was carted off the field in Saturday’s 38-33 win against Indiana, is considered a game-time decision this weekend against Northwestern after aggravating his sprained MCL.

After completing a pass in the fourth quarter, an Indiana defensive lineman collided with Tagovailoa’s right leg. The quarterback crumpled and grasped at his right knee. The resulting MRI was viewed by team doctors and received a second opinion. Coach Michael Locksley said there was no further structural damage seen.

Tagovailoa initially suffered the sprained MCL on the final drive against Michigan on Sept. 24. He has played with a knee brace to support the injury in the weeks since.

“We’re very thankful he had the knee brace on there,” Locksley said. “He fights us. He didn’t want to play in a knee brace the last two, three weeks. We forced him to do it. It’s one of those plays, a totally accidental play, wasn’t anything malicious. Very fortunate, as I said, that we got out of it with nothing further to what he already had, and now it’s just a matter of managing the rehab that goes along with strengthening him and getting him ready to go.”

Since transferring from Alabama after the 2019 season, Tagovailoa has provided Maryland stability unmatched at the position in nearly a decade. When Tagovailoa led Maryland to a victory over Virginia Tech in last season’s Pinstripe Bowl, he became the first Terps quarterback to start each game in a season since C.J. Brown in 2014.

The time between Brown and Tagovailoa has seen ample injuries, transfers and uneven results at the position. Five quarterbacks suffered season-ending injuries from 2014 to 2019, with Kasim Hill doing so in both 2017 and 2018. Josh Jackson, who transferred from Virginia Tech to Maryland in 2019, missed two games that season with injury and was soon displaced by Tagovailoa.

With Tagovailoa, passing records have swiftly fallen at Maryland. He finished his redshirt sophomore season last year with single-season program records in passing yards, completions, completion percentage and passing touchdowns. He threw for more than 300 yards seven times last season, another Terps record.

And with him at the helm through seven games this year, Maryland (5-2) is one win away from becoming bowl-eligible with five games remaining, beginning with Saturday’s game against Northwestern. Tagovailoa has thrown for 2,001 yards with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions in seven starts this season.

Locksley pointed out that Tagovailoa played the next week after initially suffering the MCL sprain against Michigan, though he practiced throughout the week leading up to a win against Michigan State.

Locksley considers day to day whether Tagovailoa will practice this week or not. The Terps are scheduled to practice Tuesday afternoon.

“I know he’s living in the training room, doing all the things he can to get himself back,” Locksley said. “We’re very fortunate it was just a reaggravation of the previous injury, and he made it back the following week. If you know the Tagovailoas, you know they’re tough guys, and they’re going to fight through it. But we’ll always do what’s best for him, first and foremost.”

Added wide receiver Dontay Demus Jr.: “Just to know that he’s healthy and good enough to play, that’s just a great relief.”

Maryland is scheduled for a bye week after facing Northwestern, which could offer Tagovailoa extended time to heal.

Should Tagovailoa not be able to play Saturday, Billy Edwards Jr. is expected to be under center. Edwards filled in for Tagovailoa midway through the fourth quarter in Bloomington, and although he didn’t complete any of his three passes, the redshirt freshman showed off his legs with 53 yards on the ground, including a 31-yard scamper on a third-and-2 that set up a go-ahead touchdown.

In limited time this season, Edwards has thrown a pair of touchdowns on 16 attempts, featuring in late-game situations against Buffalo, Charlotte and Michigan — the latter of which was in place of Tagovailoa. Edwards, who transferred this offseason from Wake Forest, is a Burke, Virginia, native. His brother, Kyle, is a former Alabama quarterback who now serves under head coach Locksley as a graduate assistant coaching quarterbacks.

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“I look at [Taulia and Billy] as 1A and 1B,” Demus said. “They know the offense inside and out. Taulia has a little more experience than Billy, but I feel like there’s no real drop-off when it comes to the offense. He knows us receivers, backs, and knows the schemes.”

Homecoming

NORTHWESTERN@MARYLAND

Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

TV: Big Ten Network

Radio: 105.7 FM

Line: Maryland by 13 1/2