Taulia Tagovailoa’s father explains why the QB left Alabama for Maryland
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Alabama is projected to enter the 2020 season lacking both experience and depth at the game’s most important position following Taulia Tagovailoa’s decision to transfer out of the Crimson Tide program in favor of an opportunity to join Mike Locksley’s Maryland program.
While it’s accurate to say Taulia Tagovailoa would not have aided in adding much on-field experience to Alabama’s quarterback room had he returned to the program, he did offer added depth to the position.
With Tua’s brother transferring from Alabama, the Crimson Tide now only have three scholarship quarterbacks on the roster in Mac Jones, Bryce Young and Paul Tyson.
So why did Taulia Tagovailoa make the decision to leave Nick Saban’s program after only one season with the team? According to his father, Galu, the decision was based on not having an opportunity to compete for playing time this offseason.
“It’s really tough and it’s nothing against Alabama,” Galu Tagovailoa said in an interview with Matt Zenitz of AL.com. “But my boys are competitive and Lia is such a competitive kid. And he wanted an opportunity to compete. He was told that he was going to come in and compete and he didn’t really get that opportunity, so he wanted to use the spring to do that. But with the COVID-19 thing going on, he didn’t really have the opportunity to compete.
“He’s a competitor. He likes to work. He likes to compete on the field. And just, going into the season this year, he just felt that he wasn’t given that opportunity and he wants to take it somewhere where they’re going to give him the opportunity to make the best of his skill set.”
In his only season at Alabama, Taulia saw action in five games, completing nine of 12 attempts for 100 yards. He’ll have to sit out next season due to NCAA transfer rules before having the opportunity to compete for the starting job at Maryland.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
