I felt like we weren’t in sync, whether it was the communication, the reads. Is D.C. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons the Terrapins have decided to move on from Montgomery is the struggles of quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa. Passing Touchdowns Single Season Leaders and Records. “After the first drive, you kind of just shake the cobwebs out, and then you’re really into it after the first couple plays,” Najarian said. Trailing 24-21, Rutgers attempted to convert a fourth down from Maryland’s 45-yard line, but Artur Sitkowski’s pass to Shameen Jones only gained three of the needed seven yards. He saw limited action as a true freshman at Maryland last season and will be in the mix in a deep quarterback room in the fall especially if Taulia Tagovailoa gets a waiver from the NCAA to play in 2020 after transferring from Alabama. Large majorities of the region’s nursing home workers have declined the coronavirus vaccine, Mount Pleasant has quietly become a national model for resisting gentrification, What to know about the coronavirus vaccine rollout in D.C., Maryland and Virginia, The best things to do while social distancing in the D.C. area, The D.C. area’s 10 best casual restaurants of 2020, The best fried chicken sandwiches in the D.C. area, 10 of the best American Chinese food restaurants in the DMV, With Matthew Stafford out of the running, Washington’s quarterback options are limited, Nationals are unhappy with changes to MASN broadcast team, It’s early in the NHL’s pandemic season, but the Capitals already see how tough it will be, Bradley Beal is going viral for his scoring — and his dejected body language. With QB Taulia Tagovailoa back and a new offensive coordinator, Maryland will be highly motivated to end a three-game losing streak to IU and assert itself as the up-and-coming East program. But three consecutive carries from running back Tayon Fleet-Davis only combined to produce five yards. But with about two minutes before the break, Najarian finally orchestrated a 62-yard drive that ended with a 37-yard field goal from Petrino. And you know this thing is still lingering around and we're going to do everything we can to continue to get our players, get them to the games safe and healthy," he said. LeGendre completed 7 of 10 passes, but those only amounted to 42 yards. The timing also seemingly means Tagovailoa and Campbell will be out for Maryland's final Big Ten game, against a to-be-determined opponent from the West Division next week. Maryland took over on offense with 3:14 to go, and the Terps only needed to pick up a couple first downs to seal the game. The operation just wasn’t there.”. • Large majorities of the region’s nursing home workers have declined the coronavirus vaccine, • Mount Pleasant has quietly become a national model for resisting gentrification, Coronavirus: What to know about the coronavirus vaccine rollout in D.C., Maryland and Virginia, • The best things to do while social distancing in the D.C. area, • The D.C. area’s 10 best casual restaurants of 2020, • The best fried chicken sandwiches in the D.C. area, • 10 of the best American Chinese food restaurants in the DMV, Washington Football: With Matthew Stafford out of the running, Washington’s quarterback options are limited, Nationals: Nationals are unhappy with changes to MASN broadcast team, Capitals: It’s early in the NHL’s pandemic season, but the Capitals already see how tough it will be, Wizards: Bradley Beal is going viral for his scoring — and his dejected body language. jake sears to boise state. And if Maryland is selected for one of the earlier bowl games -- the. Maryland’s defense held firm in the first half despite the key absences, which also included defensive coordinator Jon Hoke and special teams coordinator/inside linebackers coach George Helow. LeGendre, a redshirt freshman who had attempted seven passes in his college career before Saturday, struggled to move the ball in his first start for Maryland. Taulia Tagovailoa was never expected to be the starting quarterback of a Power Five program. The next Big Ten guy? But LeGendre threw another interception on a pass way over the head of his receiver. The Terps have been recruiting at a high level and are generally regarded as a program on the rise. Coach Michael Locksley said the staff learned Friday morning that Tagovailoa would not be available for this game. jordan wilson to florida state. Tua Tagovailoa had 3,966 yards with 43 touchdowns in 2018 as … Born and raised in Hawaii to Samoan parents, he attended Saint Louis School in Honolulu.Following that, he attended the University of Alabama to play college football. The stats tell us so. Upon entering the game in the second quarter, Najarian missed his first four pass attempts, and Locksley reverted to LeGendre after just two drives with Najarian under center. “We started with Lance, and we sputtered on offense. Tuanigamanuolepola "Tua" Tagovailoa (/ ˌ t ʌ ŋ oʊ v aɪ ˈ l oʊ ə / TUNG-oh-vy-LOW-uh; born March 2, 1998) is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). Locksley declined to comment when asked whether those missing players tested positive for the coronavirus. Maryland had to punt, giving Rutgers the opportunity to construct a game-winning drive. Last chance to get a great Terps gift with free shipping! Tagovailoa, a sophomore who has started all four games for Maryland (2-2), has been sensational at times, ranking third in the conference in passing yards per game (252.8) and second in passer efficiency rating (138.5), behind only Ohio State Heisman contender Justin Fields. But instead, Rutgers earned a 27-24 win thanks to a pair of critical field goals. Smith, a former three-star recruit, failed to record any stats over two appearances this past season. After LeGendre threw an interception late in the first quarter and then led the Terps on another drive that yielded little positive yardage, Locksley turned to Najarian. te jordan wilson to florida state. Defensive coordinator Jon Hoke, who's guided Maryland's defense to noticeable recent improvements -- and is on the watch list for the Frank Broyles Award, given to the country's top assistant coach -- is also absent because of a positive test. noah vedral to rutgers. An asterisk (*) after a player's name indicates bowl stats are included. “We had a chance to finish the game on offense, and we didn’t. Najarian led the offense through the rest of the game. The loss of Tagovailoa forced Maryland’s offense into a worrisome position, and before Najarian settled into the game, the group had little success outside of senior running back Jake Funk, who rushed for 180 yards and caught four passes for another 33 yards. taulia tagovailoa to maryland. Najarian finished with 218 yards on 12-for-23 passing with two touchdowns and no major mistakes. Funk surpassed 100 rushing yards for only the second time in his career and scored on a 44-yard run late in the third quarter. (What's the next big story at Maryland? CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Fields ranked 10th nationally in quarterback rating this year. Rankings. As Najarian became more comfortable, the Maryland staff began to expand the playbook. Latest on Maryland Terrapins quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN But against the Scarlet Knights, with starter Taulia Tagovailoa unavailable and backup Lance LeGendre struggling, Najarian took control of the offense and performed well before the Terrapins fell short in overtime. The sophomore walk-on served as Maryland’s third-string quarterback all season. Stats. “Kudos and credit to him for having himself prepared to go out and perform the way he did,” Locksley said of Najarian. The Terps’ defense allowed only 23 yards in the first quarter, then 80 yards in the second. (Cornerbacks coach Henry Baker called the defensive plays in the absence of Hoke.) College Sports. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, Reporter covering University of Maryland athletics, Maryland, missing QB Taulia Tagovailoa, loses lead, then loses to Rutgers in overtime. Campbell's replacement was unknown as game time approached because his backup, heralded true freshman Ruben Hyppolite, is also out -- seemingly another COVID-19 loss. Tagovailoa and Campbell entered this game as two of the team’s eight offensive and defensive players who had started every game. On the next possession, Funk exploded for a 52-yard gain, but he said he suffered a minor shoulder sprain and couldn’t play the rest of the game. Maryland’s defense had an up-and-down showing, playing well early and generating several important stops but also making a few costly mistakes. Eric Najarian had never taken a snap at the college level. “We’ve got to put in the effort on our part to stay disciplined, and the game probably would have went different.”. Maryland football will be without the services of its best players on both sides of the ball today against Rutgers. Maryland’s Taulia Tagovailoa at 47th — but he didn’t have to play Ohio State. At Alabama, Enos coached Tua Tagovailoa, older brother of Terrapins starting quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, who also began his career at Alabama before transferring to Maryland. After a slow offensive start for both teams, Maryland and Rutgers combined for six touchdowns in the second half. The Scarlet Knights endured an equally dreadful start on offense, and they couldn’t capitalize on either of the Terps’ early interceptions. Maryland’s Jake Funk has become numb to pain so the tumult of 2020 can’t faze him. Starting cornerback Jakorian Bennett is out for the same reason. © 2005-2021 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Read more about our data coverage. Campbell, who's emerged as the heart of their defense, ranks third in the conference in tackles per game (10.5) and sixth in tackles for loss per game. Maryland’s Joseph Petrino missed his 50-yard field goal attempt, nearly as long as his career best of 51 yards, and the Scarlet Knights (3-5) rushed the field to celebrate inside the empty stadium. The Terps kept the Scarlet Knights from scoring until Bo Melton reached the end zone in the third quarter on a reverse for 44 yards. And if Maryland is selected for one of the earlier bowl games -- the Terps are projected to make one -- it could affect their availability because of the Big Ten's 21-day waiting period for any infected players to return. “You can’t help a good team be better,” Gotay said of the penalties. “You get an opportunity to go out there, do what you can do. Click here to shop. "We take it day by day man, and I get nervous even hearing you say, 'Oh, we got through COVID,' and I'm knocking on wood because we still test up until game day. Earlier this week, he mimicked the Rutgers offense as part of the scout team. We had a chance to finish the game on defense, and we didn’t. The Scarlet Knights only managed to tie the score, sending them to overtime where Ambrosio delivered the winning field goal. And we had a chance to extend the game on special teams, and we didn’t.”. Locksley said he was most disappointed in his team’s 12 penalties that cost Maryland 128 yards. Najarian had the opportunity to lead the Terps to a game-winning touchdown, but after Maryland’s first play of overtime, wide receiver Jeshaun Jones picked up a personal foul that pushed the offense back to the 37-yard line. Maryland (2-3) played without four key players — Tagovailoa, starting linebacker Chance Campbell, linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II and cornerback Jakorian Bennett — who all missed the game for medical reasons, a team spokesman said. “It’s a shame the surrounding cast all didn’t do their part from a discipline standpoint, an execution standpoint to send these seniors out the right way.”. Tagovailoa will be replaced by redshirt freshman Lance LeGendre, an untested former four-star recruit who's thrown four passes all season, all of them in the season-opener at Northwestern seven weeks ago. After that first drive, though, it really just starts to feel like football.”. The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning. Their absence is a big blow to a Terps team looking to gain a winning record, improve its bowl standing and continue to show progress in its rebuilding process. “Eric became the guy that gave us the best chance to win,” Locksley said. “The key to the game was to finish,” Locksley said of his team, which will play one more conference game next week against a yet-to-be-determined opponent. Before you finish reading, take five seconds NOW to sign up for our FREE Terps newsletter. On that drive, Najarian completed three passes, including a 20-yard gain on a third-down screen pass to Funk. Najarian helped Maryland take a 24-21 lead late in the fourth quarter when he escaped pressure on a third-and-19 play and threw a 52-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brian Cobbs. The undersized Jones came to campus and redshirted in 2017, as the world watched in amazement, while Tua Tagovailoa played one of the greatest halves in college football history. Wooldridge appeared in two games as a redshirt sophomore last year, going 8 of 16 for 117 yards including 3 of 4 for 37 yards in the second quarter … The 6-foot, 196-pound defender played in six games during his freshman season but saw action in only three games over the past two years. (Enter code FREESHIP). Maryland football will be without the services of its best players on both sides of the ball today against Rutgers. “To lose any game is disappointing, but then to lose in that fashion hurts even a little bit more.”. The Terps struggled to contain the quarterback run at times, and, like Maryland’s, the Scarlet Knights’ offense improved as the game progressed, despite an injury to quarterback Noah Vedral. Rutgers punted seven times and missed a 27-yard field goal in the first half. Linebacker Fa’Najae Gotay led Maryland with 10 tackles, and freshman defensive back Tarheeb Still had an impressive showing with four pass breakups. Finally on the Brink of Statehood? Najarian struggled early in the game, but he improved as the game progressed and gave Maryland a chance to win. The Terps could have scored their third conference victory, turning Najarian into the team’s unlikely hero and giving the veterans a perfect end to senior day. Despite the early offensive woes, Maryland had a 3-0 advantage at halftime. Rutgers kicker Valentino Ambrosio’s 39-yarder tied the game as time expired, and then he made a 42-yard attempt in overtime. “It was really disappointing,” Najarian said. We'll deliver the latest big news to you!). ol issiah walker to miami. Maryland didn't announce any of the absences publicly, though head coach Mike Locksley might have been hinting at them during his Thursday media session when asked if he was relieved about his team's recovery from the virus; Maryland has missed three games because of COVID-19, two of them because of a virus breakout inside the team that included more than 20 players, and another because of Michigan's recent breakout. Quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa and linebacker Chance Campbell are out because of positive COVID-19 tests, multiple sources with knowledge of the situation told InsideMDSports. LeGendre was the top quarterback prospect from Louisiana in the Class of 2019. The timing also seemingly means Tagovailoa and Campbell will be out for Maryland's final Big Ten game, against a to-be-determined opponent from the West Division next week. Najarian completed a pass to Jones for nine yards but missed his next attempt and was sacked on third down. Until deep into the first half, Maryland’s drives had yielded five punts and two interceptions for a total of 80 yards. Finally on the Brink of Statehood? Maryland, missing QB Taulia Tagovailoa, loses lead, then loses to Rutgers in overtime. • Is D.C.