Maryland’s challenge in 2024 is to replace prolific quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Taulia Tagovailoa brought Maryland four years of stability at the quarterback position — and gave coach Mike Locksley a boost as he guided the program back to respectability.

Now the Terrapins have to show they can keep winning without their star passer.

By the time Tagovailoa was done at Maryland, he’d become the Big Ten’s career leader in yards passing, and although the Terps never totally broke through against the top teams on their schedule, they have won a bowl game in three straight seasons for the first time in program history. Now there are a handful of candidates to fill Tagovailoa’s shoes.

“There’s no uncertainty at quarterback,” Locksley said. “We’ve got a quarterback in our program. We have a few quarterbacks in our program that we think can play winning football.”

Billy Edwards Jr. quarterbacked Maryland in the Music City Bowl last season against Auburn. MJ Morris started seven games over the past two seasons for North Carolina State before transferring to Maryland. Cameron Edge, at the time a redshirt freshman, also played in the win over Auburn and threw a touchdown pass.

“The one thing that comes out of this competition is that I feel very comfortable with the quarterback room,” Locksley said. “No matter who wins the job, we feel like we’ve got the depth that you need to have in the Big Ten.”

Returning production

Whoever is taking snaps should have some solid options to throw and hand off to. Roman Hemby is back after rushing for 680 yards last season, although that was a drop from 2022, when he ran for 989 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Hemby had 46 fewer carries last season.

“I definitely want to take a step forward, but at the end of the day I feel like our coaches do a really good job putting us in the position to be successful,” Hemby said. “However we can get victories is how we’re going to do it here. We kind of try to play the hot hand.”

Receivers Tai Felton and Kaden Prather combined for 90 catches a season ago.

Stingier

Tagovailoa’s presence at times masked defensive issues at Maryland, but last year the Terps took a step in the right direction. They held opponents to 22.5 points per game, the team’s lowest mark since 2010.

“We’re counting on the leadership on that side as we’ve become a defensive-esque team,” Locksley said. “The leadership on that side has been great.”

Questions up front

Aside from Kyle Long, who started six games last season, Maryland returns little in the way of offensive line experience. The Terps have added transfers Aliou Bah (Georgia), Alan Herron (Division II Shorter) and Josh Kaltenberger (Purdue) to the mix.

The Schedule

The Terps open the season Aug. 31 against UConn and play an intriguing nonconference game at Virginia on Sept. 14.

After years of being stuck in the same division as Ohio State and Michigan, Maryland avoids both those teams this year, but the Terrapins do face a couple of tough Big Ten newcomers. They host Southern California on Oct. 19 and play at Oregon on Nov. 9.

___

AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football