Former Maryland tight end Taulia Tagovailoa’s waiver for another year of enrollment has been denied, sources told ESPN.
As he entered the lobby, Tagovailoa told ESPN that he had requested a six-year ban from the NCAA.
Tagovailoa played five seasons, including his freshman year at Alabama in 2019. He is the Big Ten’s all-time rushing leader and threw for 11,256 yards in four seasons at Maryland.
The dismissal demand focused on Tagovailoa, who played in five games as Alabama’s third baseman in 2019, including just two against Duke and two against Mississippi State.
Tagovailoa said the waiver request for another year of eligibility was based on the circumstances surrounding the fifth game.
The case Alabama made was the school’s failure to chase down two snaps Tagovailoa took in the season opener against Duke.
Maryland offered a waiver for Tagovailoa, who said Alabama was very supportive of him in the process and held no hard feelings with the coaching staff.
He has 77 career touchdowns, one of which came during the 2019 season at Alabama. He completed over 66% of his passes in his last three years at Maryland.
This time next year, we’ll see another Tagovailoa playing quarterback on an NFL team.
Sources: Former Maryland QB Taulia Tagovailoa’s waiver for an additional year of eligibility has been denied. This is despite Nick Saban and Alabama writing a strong plea to the NCAA in his support. Tagovailoa will begin training for the upcoming NFL Draft.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 16, 2024
The 23-year-old, who is the younger brother of Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, entered the transfer window earlier this month after claiming an NCAA waiver to extend his college career by six years.
Taulia Tagovailoa is set to enter the NFL draft, sources tell @247Sports.
The former Maryland star QB, who recently entered the transfer portal, had been pursuing an NCAA waiver for another year of eligibility but sounds like the waiver isn’t going to be approved.… pic.twitter.com/jC9NOikI7K
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 16, 2024
Tagovailoa began his journey at Alabama before taking his talents to Maryland before the start of the 220 seasons.
The Big Ten’s leading rusher has passed for more than 3,000 yards in each of the last three seasons.
Matt Zenitz says former Maryland tight end Taulia Tagovailoa will enter the 2024 NFL Draft.
Tagovailoa has previously entered the transfer portal and is seeking an NCAA franchise bid for the sixth consecutive year.
The NCAA told Tagovailoa last week that his suspension was denied, Bama247 senior writer John Talty reported.
Tagovailoa submitted a request to the NCAA to be waived from the six-year eligibility requirement for the 2019 season while still playing at Alabama.
The NCAA allows players to play four games without redshirting.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports that the NCAA declined to suspend Tagovailoa despite requests from Nick Saban and Alabama.
Taulia Tagovailoa headed for NFL after NCAA denies additional year of eligibility. https://t.co/EtTcs4T3p6
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) January 16, 2024
Tagovailoa originally expected to enroll while attending Maryland, but after entering the program as a graduate student in January, he chose to wait six years before enrolling elsewhere. He played five college football games and used the extra money.
The redshirt senior’s 2023 bye program is officially over and will end this fall. Maryland head coach Mike Locksley said in December that Tagovailoa was available to transfer after Trepan left the track to find another job.
“When he sat down, he decided he didn’t want to play on the street and look for future opportunities, whether it was the NFL, whether it was a transfer, if he had more free time,”
Locksley said.
In four years at the University of Maryland, the young Tagovailoa set multiple offensive records, including career yards (11,256), completions (955), field goal percentage (67.1%), career yards (76), total offense (11,473), etc. Played in 41 games.
His best season came in 2021 as a redshirt sophomore, where he led the way in passing yards (3,860), completions (328), completion percentage (69.2%) and percentage (26) Single season record.
Fans reacted as follows:
I don’t see him being more than a backup at best.
— Jim Bradshaw (@jimbradshaw4) January 16, 2024
Glad he helped move Maryland as best he could, but this feels like a UDFA situation.
— Rich Johnson (@VegasPodcaster) January 17, 2024
Kids playing 8 years in college these days like they’re Van Wilder
— 𝕋𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕜𝕤𝕦𝕚𝕥 𝕄𝕚𝕜𝕖 (@TracksuitMikee) January 16, 2024
Lmao hopefully Tua gives him some kinda "assistant" job or startup $ for whatever he majored in…UDFA at best
— J0hnnyBla2e (@Bla2eJ0hnny) January 16, 2024
They said go get a real job nigga lol
— God Ghost Writer 👁🗨 (@kingchudy) January 16, 2024
what a terrible decision
— ALISH ✨ (@aliishtweets) January 16, 2024
He has been in college long enough. It is time
— The Rational Football League Show (@TheRFLShow) January 16, 2024
Undrafted?
— Brandon Marsonek (@Marsonek34) January 16, 2024
Wishing him the best of luck as he begins training for the upcoming NFL Draft
— CodingNerds COG (@CodingnerdsCog) January 16, 2024
I beginning to wonder if the NCAA will ever get somthign right… while we are at it, #freeReggie — give him his damn trophy back! pic.twitter.com/YTvlKMddS7
— Tim Prangley (@Tim_Prangley) January 16, 2024
Unfortunate for Taulia but he has a bright future ahead Good luck in the draft
— globalalertnfl (@globalalertnfl) January 16, 2024
Good. You’re not supposed to make a career out of college. Whatever happened to 5 years to play 4. It’s ridiculous how long these “kids” or “grown men” stay in college. Do your time and leave. Let the high school kids that are coming through have there time.
— Greg Burton (@gburt28) January 16, 2024
And they wonder why kids are going to pick and choose if they play in games. They are making the mess worse with decisions like these.
— Don (@DonLifthill) January 16, 2024
Tagovailoa, the younger brother of Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa, accumulated 11,256 passing yards and 89 total touchdowns during his time at Maryland after transferring there from Alabama https://t.co/nau0UcFGzT
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 16, 2024
He could be a solid UDFA. Maybe sneak into the backend of the draft with a good combine.
— Penn State Talk (@PSURecruitTalk) January 16, 2024
Confused why he wasn’t granted when there are how many QBs granted beyond their 6th year. He stuck with Maryland when he could have left but when we wants to transfer to win something meaningful, he’s denied? I feel for him and hope he kills it in the league.
— KB 〽️ (@KBGoBlue) January 16, 2024
His brother kinda screwed him before he got the chance lol
— YesMyBrother (@YesMyBrothers) January 17, 2024
I’ll never understand why some people would like to see a person fail. Rooting against a team is fine, but against a person who is only trying to do what’s best for him and his family seems mean. Best of luck Taulia. Go chase your dreams.
— Alex Reandt (@alex_reandt) January 16, 2024
This is going to result in a Giannis/Thanasis situation, but instead of one of the brothers being Giannis Antetokounmpo they’re both Thanasis Antetokounmpo.
— Tyler Herro Muse ☆ (@HerroMuse) January 17, 2024
Bad decision because he really didn’t play “5 Games” in that year good decision because he still played his 4 years after that why is it all of a sudden cool for these players to get to play 6-7 seasons of college football? When 5 was always the limit (he technically played 5)
— NMSPORTS (@NMTRUSPORTS) January 16, 2024
