BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — For the previous three seasons, Taulia Tagovailoa has given the Maryland soccer program one thing new at quarterback. He has flashed his skill, damaged faculty information and offered long-awaited stability. However the picture of him mendacity on the turf in ache, holding his leg and leaving on a cart throughout the Terrapins’ sport at Indiana on Saturday got here as a well-known sight for a fan base scarred by an abundance of quarterback accidents.
Maryland
Maryland wins at Indiana, but Taulia Tagovailoa is carted off with injury
The damage will loom over the weekend, regardless that backup Billy Edwards Jr. changed Tagovailoa early within the fourth quarter and lifted Maryland out of a deficit to a 38-33 win. Edwards, a switch from Wake Forest, led the Terps on back-to-back landing drives, regardless of not finishing a cross, and scored a dashing landing with 2:11 remaining.
The Hoosiers then scored with beneath a minute to go, however their two-point try failed, conserving Maryland’s lead at 5. Jacob Copeland recovered Indiana’s onside kick to seal a win that may have a muted celebration till the severity of Tagovailoa’s damage turns into clear. Coach Michael Locksley mentioned his quarterback suffered a “lower-leg” damage and that he wasn’t positive if it concerned his knee or ankle. The staff will know extra after Tagovailoa has an MRI examination upon returning to School Park.
“Everyone knows that on any given play, it could possibly be your alternative,” mentioned Locksley, who added that Edwards takes 40 p.c of the first-team reps in observe. “Our gamers put together that method.”
Earlier than Tagovailoa left the sport, the Terps (5-2, 2-2 Large Ten) suffered a barrage of setbacks, some unavoidable (accidents that stored key gamers out) and others self-inflicted (too many penalties, an undesirable behavior of this staff). However the Terps managed to carry off the struggling Hoosiers (3-4, 1-3), who’ve misplaced 4 straight.
When Edwards entered, the Terps confronted a 27-24 deficit. His offensive teammates advised him they’d confidence in him and, because the backup, Edwards described his preparation as “similar to Taulia’s.”
He led Maryland on a go-ahead landing drive, which was capped by Roman Hemby’s six-yard rush for the rating with 5:35 to go. The protection, affected by lapses and penalties all through, stepped up by recovering a fumble on Indiana’s subsequent possession, opening the door for the second landing drive. Hemby’s 46-yard run pushed Maryland into placing place, and Edwards regarded sharp as he offered the heroics.
“The longer I used to be in there,” he mentioned, “I obtained extra snug.”
Maryland performed with out three key veterans who usually begin: linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II (ankle), who had missed two video games however had returned to play final week; cornerback Jakorian Bennett (unspecified damage); and left deal with Jaelyn Duncan, who missed the sport for private causes. The Terps’ depth has been additional depleted by accidents to defensive backs Gavin Gibson and Glendon Miller.
Tarheeb Nonetheless, with an interception on the sport’s first play, and Deonte Banks, with a decide on Indiana’s first play of the second half, offered moments of optimism for the secondary, which had a efficiency that Locksley described as “hit and miss.”
The Terps fell right into a gap after unraveling within the second quarter, with penalties hampering the defensive effort, Tagovailoa struggling at occasions in opposition to Indiana’s stress and the offense stalling. Maryland’s redshirt junior quarterback accomplished 10 of 14 passes within the opening quarter after which simply 6 of 13 within the second. The Hoosiers scored 14 straight factors to take into halftime a 17-14 lead, together with a landing drive that got here after the Terps picked up a defensive holding flag on the punt and handed Indiana an automated first down.
“Guys have gotten to be disciplined, actually,” mentioned Nonetheless, who was twice flagged for cross interference. “We obtained type of lackadaisical. We had a very good first quarter, after which we simply obtained type of lax after which we had been type of chilling a bit of bit, which is dangerous. We’ve obtained to maintain the foot on the fuel each play.”
The Terps improved after halftime, with Tagovailoa main Maryland on a landing drive that ended with Dontay Demus Jr.’s first rating since coming back from a torn ACL final season. Maryland’s dashing assault, which had gained simply 45 yards by way of three quarters, got here to life within the fourth with 127 yards.
After the sport, Edwards mentioned he and Tagovailoa had “a very good lengthy hug within the locker room.”
“He was in good spirits,” Edwards added. “He was celebrating, singing with me, banging on the lockers.”
Edwards’s strong efficiency with the sport on the road offered optimism if he should maintain on to the function within the weeks to come back. However the Terps naturally would favor to get their starter again to maintain this promising season on observe. For now, they’ll have to attend for that replace whereas hoping Tagovailoa doesn’t be part of his many predecessors who’ve had unlucky accidents.
Up to now decade, Maryland followers have needed to abdomen one torn ACL after one other. They’ve watched a linebacker step in at quarterback. They’ve seen seasons upended by these accidents, and they also flinch anytime Tagovailoa stays on the bottom for a bit too lengthy after he’s hit. He had a scare earlier this 12 months, when he slipped due to a cramp after scoring a dashing landing in opposition to Charlotte. Tagovailoa sat out throughout the last drive within the loss at Michigan as he handled minor rib and knee accidents. Every week, he returned for the next sport, seemingly again to full well being.
This time, Tagovailoa left on a cart. Edwards carried out admirably and ensured the Terps rose to the event. However the picture of Tagovailoa in ache will linger, and the ramifications of his damage may change the course of Maryland’s season.