Maryland QB Taulia Tagovailoa, other key players missing Rutgers game for ‘medical reasons’

Maryland defensive coordinator Jon Hoke and special teams coordinator/inside linebackers coach George Helow will also not be coaching Saturday, a team spokesman said.

Tagovailoa, a sophomore, won Maryland’s starting quarterback job after transferring from Alabama this past offseason. Through four games, he averaged 253 passing yards per game while completing 61.5 percent of his passes.

Lance LeGendre, a redshirt freshman, started in Tagovailoa’s place. LeGendre has played sparingly this season, appearing in two games and completing four passes. During his redshirt season last year, LeGendre played in three games, completing one of three passes and rushing for 104 yards. LeGendre and Tagovailoa are Maryland’s only scholarship quarterbacks on the roster this season after Josh Jackson, the starter in 2019, opted out in August.

Since 2010, only one season of Maryland football featured the same quarterback starter in every game. The position at Maryland has been plagued by instability, but Tagovailoa had become a steadying force. He struggled in the opener against Northwestern and Maryland’s most recent game against Indiana, but he played well in the Terps’ two wins against Minnesota and at Penn State.

Campbell, a junior, has been one of the team’s best defensive players this season. He leads the team with 43 total tackles. Campbell scored a touchdown at Penn State after he recovered a fumble, and he has registered 1.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for a loss.

Hyppolite, one of Maryland’s best freshmen, has rotated in at the linebacker position this season and started the Terps’ most recent game at Indiana. Bennett transferred to Maryland out of junior college before this season, and he’s played well in his four appearances with two starts.

Linebacker Ayinde Eley, another significant contributor, had already been ruled out of the game earlier this week. Linebacker Shaq Smith hasn’t played since the season opener and remains out, leaving that position group particularly thin. Eley tied for third on the team with 19 total tackles and Hyppolite is tied for fifth with 18.

Last month, 23 football players and seven staffers tested positive for the coronavirus, and Maryland had to cancel two games. The Big Ten requires players who test positive for the virus to sit out for 21 days, so those players had to miss Maryland’s last game against Indiana. Earlier this week, Coach Michael Locksley said nearly all of those players would be back for Saturday’s game against Rutgers. Maryland does not release the names of players who test positive for the virus.

In the 27-11 loss at Indiana, Maryland played without numerous starters, including running back Jake Funk, wide receiver Jeshaun Jones, wide receiver Rakim Jarrett, offensive lineman Marcus Minor and offensive lineman Johnny Jordan. On defense, Maryland was missing Eley, cornerback Tarheeb Still, safety Nick Cross and linebacker Fa’Najae Gotay.

Maryland Athletics has announced coronavirus testing data at inconsistent intervals, and the school has not released any updated data since Nov. 23. At least 135 out of roughly 550 Maryland athletes have tested positive for the virus since teams began returning to campus this summer.