Could Tua Tagovailoa’s little brother have future in Miami?
Big brother Tua Tagovailoa and little brother Taulia Tagovailoa in Miami repping the Dolphins (Tua) and Hurricanes (Taulia) in 2024?
If things go their way, it could happen for the star quarterbacks.
Taulia, the former Maryland (and Alabama) signal caller who holds the Big Ten passing yards record with 11,356 yards, entered the NCAA transfer portal this week. And according to at least one recent report, the family would like the younger brother in the same city as his big-time brother.
The University of Miami is seeking a transfer quarterback to vie for the starting position in 2024 after veteran Tyler Van Dyke transferred to Wisconsin. The Hurricanes were hoping they could get former Washington State star Cam Ward to transfer to UM, but Ward said he has decided to enter the NFL Draft.
Taulia, 23, who has exhausted his college eligibility because he played in five games as a freshman third-string quarterback behind Tua and Mac Jones at Alabama, would first need an NCAA waiver to be eligible for a sixth year if he attempts to transfer to Miami — or any school. He transferred to Maryland for his next four seasons after Alabama. Had he been limited to four games or fewer as a freshman, he would be eligible for another season.
Pete Thamel of ESPN reported late Friday afternoon that Maryland filed for an NCAA re-instatement waiver Thursday on behalf of Taulia. Taulia told ESPN he is waiting for the NCAA’s decision. The deadline to enter the portal was this past Tuesday, but graduates, such as Taulia, can enter at any time.
Taulia has until the Jan. 15 deadline to declare for the NFL Draft, but he is widely projected to be a third-day pick — if at all.
Game logs show that in two of of his five games as a freshman, Taulia didn’t attempt a pass. Thamel reported that he played only two snaps against Duke and two snaps at Mississippi State. Taulia reportedly handed off each time in those games, and entered the Mississippi State game in the final quarter because older brother Tua, the starter, had injured his hip.
“Honestly, if I could do it again,” Taulia told Thamel,
“hopefully my brother doesn’t get injured and I’m not in that emotional state where I want to play in the game. If I got to do it over again, I wouldn’t have played in the game...
“Coach asked me if I wanted to go in. Of course I wanted to go in and play for my brother...”
Taulia opted out of the Terrapins’ Dec. 30 Music City Bowl.
He played only four games in 2020 for a redshirt season, then played 13 games in 2021 and 12 games apiece in 2022 and 2023.
This past season, Taulia completed 290 of 437 passes (66.4 percent) for 3,377 yards and 25 touchdowns with 11 interceptions for Maryland (7-5). He has 77 career touchdowns and 37 interceptions.
InsideMDSports of the 247Sports Network detailed Maryland coach Mike Locksley’s radio conversation with “The Vinny & Haynie Show” on Baltimore’s 105.7 The
Fan, and reported through sources “in Miami and Maryland” that Taulia’s “family would like to bring him to the city where his brother is a star.”