COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Maryland Terrapins quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa is a game-time decision for Saturday’s homecoming contest against Northwestern. Terps head coach Mike Locksley, who said Tagovailoa re-aggravated a sprained MCL during last weekend’s win at Indiana, is exhaling after learning the injury isn’t much worse.
"A huge sense of relief, obviously. I stood there and watched him. The way it played out it looked like it was very painful."
Tagovailoa was originally hurt during last month’s loss to Michigan. The recent scare occurred in the fourth quarter last Saturday. Upon returning to College Park he received an MRI and a second opinion.
"Our doctors looked at it and felt that basically what he did was re-aggravate the injury that he had but there was no further structural damage from the first MRI that we did when he hurt himself in the Michigan game until now," said Locksley.
The head coach added that he is thankful his star QB was wearing a knee brace.
"He fights us. He didn’t want to play in the knee brace for the last two, three weeks. We forced him to do it.
"He was able to make it back after the Michigan game with this same injury. It’s all about how his body feels and recovers."
If Tagovailoa can’t play on Saturday Maryland will turn to backup quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. The redshirt freshman transfer from Wake Forest rallied Maryland to the win over the Hoosiers.
Saturday's game is a big one for the Terps. A win will be their sixth of the season and make them bowl eligible for a second straight year.
"It would be big for the program just to do it this early and still go into the bye week, have four games still left to really write our own story," said defensive lineman Greg China-Rose.
"That’s been one of our goals every time coming out into the first week, just to be able to get bowl eligible early, get that crossed off," added wide receiver Dontay Demus Jr.
The chance arrives at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Follow Shawn Stepner on Twitter @StepnerWMAR and Facebook
