COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Who will start at quarterback for the University of Maryland? It remains a mystery.
"We do know who our quarterback will be. From a competitive advantage standpoint it really does us no good to announce our starting quarterback today," Head Coach Mike Locksley said on Tuesday.
Just four days from the season-opener at Northwestern the coaches know who will start. Both quarterbacks, Lance LeGendre and Taulia Tagovailoa, know who will start. Locksley broke the news to them on Sunday.
"I met with both of them together. They both have managed and handled it the right way for young players."
The head coach said the starting quarterback decision isn't going to be week-to-week either. He wants his starter to play with ultimate confidence.
"The starter doesn’t have to look over his shoulder," he said. "We’re not looking to every week having to create this controversy that I know so many people love to have."
Locksley added that he sees a role in the offense for both the redshirt freshman LeGendre and the sophomore transfer Tagovaila, no matter who is QB-1 in game one.
"We’re not going to hesitate to create advantages for us based on what they both can do."
Regardless of who starts or how it plays out on Saturday just getting to this point is an accomplishment. The pandemic caused a roller coaster of a last few months for the Terrapins. The Big Ten season was on, then it was postponed, then it was on again with this nine-game season.
Locksley and his players are determined to keep each other safe and the 2020 campaign in tact.
"This journey has been outrageous," said linebacker Fa’Najae Gotay. "You got to just do the right things off the field so that we can have this opportunity to play."
"The whole thing, just a big mess. But, I’m truly, truly happy just to be able to play and call it game week," said running back Jake Funk.
Saturday’s contest just outside Chicago kicks off at 7:30 p.m.
Follow Shawn Stepner on Twitter @StepnerWMAR and Facebook
