Despite being banged up this season and missing time due to injury, Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa is among the best in the Big Ten this season. Rutgers football head coach Greg Schiano believes that Tagovailoa is showing the steady growth he exhibited last season at Maryland.
Tagovailoa comes into the regular season finale with 2,455 passing yards. He has 16 touchdowns and six interceptions.
The junior was on the preseason watchlist for the Maxwell Award, given to the nation’s top player. Schiano believes that Tagovailoa is a real weapon for Maryland head coach Mike Locksley.
“I thought he was good last year. He’s just a little bit better version of who he is,” Schiano told reporters on Monday.
“You know, he gets a lot of attention for his mobility and his ability to create plays but I think he’s also a very good pocket passer and field general. Runs their offense with a great deal of confidence. It doesn’t look like there’s anything he’s not comfortable with in what they are doing. So he and coach Locksley have a long relationship, and I think he’s at the stage in his career where things are clicking for him.”
Maryland is 6-5 (3-5 Big Ten) and bowl eligible for a second straight season. They are coming off a 43-30 home loss last weekend to No. 2 Ohio State.
Tagovailoa was 26-of-36 for 293 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
The Terrapins have lost three straight games.
“They are a really talented football team. Coach Locksley is doing a very good job. He’s put together a group of players and coaches I think that really understand who they are and what they want to do,” Schiano said.
“So it’s going to be a huge challenge going on the road going down there to College Park. And you look at them offensively, they are very talented. It starts with the quarterback. They are big on the offensive line, good receivers, run game. Defensively, they are very big on the front, and they mix it up. Do some three-down stuff,…
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