Taulia Tagovailoa has to petition NCAA for extra eligibility

Maryland Terrapins quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa. Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Taulia Tagovailoa has to petition NCAA for extra year of eligibility

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Larry Brown | Last updated 1/5/24

Taulia Tagovailoa has entered the transfer portal, but he’s going to need some help in order to play next season.

According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, Tagovailoa is petitioning the NCAA to receive a waiver to play in 2024. Tagovailoa has already played five seasons and exhausted his eligibility. However, he is hoping that the NCAA will credit him with a redshirt year for 2019 so that he can play one more season.

In 2019, Tagovailoa was a freshman at Alabama. He was the Crimson Tide’s third-string quarterback that season and played behind his brother, Tua, and Mac Jones.

Taulia appeared in five games that season, though he only recorded stats in three of those games. In the Tide’s 38-7 win over Mississippi State that year, Taulia played in the final two snaps just to honor his brother Tua, who had suffered a hip injury in the game.

Taulia says he wouldn’t have played that game had he realized it would have cost him a full season of eligibility.

"It's with the NCAA right now," he said. "We're all just a waiting game on seeing if it gets approved or not.

Taulia would be a desirable quarterback should he receive a waiver. He has passed for 11,256 passing yards since joining Maryland, including 3,377 this season. He passed for 25 touchdowns and rushed for five this season. Playing another year could improve his draft stock.

"Just to better my draft stock," Taulia said. "I think with another opportunity and another year of college, I can raise that to a Day 1. Obviously, that's the goal. I have the experience to get better. I've seen the defenses before."

However, Tagovailoa was offered big money last year to transfer. He would stand to make big money in 2024 if he is granted eligibility.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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