It’s an all-too familiar story to Maryland football fans, but the quarterback position was once again a glaring weakness for the team in 2019. Four different signal-callers took snaps, combining to complete just 50% of their passes. The offseason has seen three quarterbacks depart from the program, leaving offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Scottie Montgomery with a much more depleted cupboard than he had last season. Head coach Michael Locksley is hoping that a second year in the team’s offensive system will help his returning quarterbacks have more success in 2020. This will unfortunately be much more difficult to achieve now that spring (and potentially summer) practice sessions have been cancelled due to COVID-19.
This is the first in what will be a series of articles previewing Maryland football’s 2020 season on a position-by-position basis. Be sure to check in regularly, and give your thoughts on my projections at the link below.
(Discuss this article on the BSL Message Board here.)
The Big Three (Questions)
Who’s the starter?
Despite there being just two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster, the starting job is up for grabs. While Lance LeGendre is the future, will he have enough preparation time to win the job over Josh Jackson?
Will Tagovailoa be eligible?
Locksley made a splash this spring by snagging former 4-star quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa from the transfer portal. By standard NCAA rules his three remaining years of eligibility will begin in 2021, but his family has hired an attorney and will petition for an immediate eligibility waiver. If he’s successful, he’d step in as the favorite to start behind center for the Terrapins this season.
What about Caleb Williams?
With young former 4-star signal-callers LeGendre and Tagovailoa on the roster, the odds have become increasingly unlikely that the Terrapins will land Williams, the coveted 5-star local product. Oklahoma has long been the favorite for his commitment, but Maryland fans know all too well that you can never count Locksley out of a recruiting battle.
Josh Jackson (Redshirt Senior)
2020 Projection: Starter
2019 Statistics: 98/207 (47.3%), 1,274 yds, 12 TD, 6 INT; 53 carries, -53 yds (-1.0 ypc), 0 TD
Jackson had a very disappointing 2019 season after transferring from Virginia Tech and winning the starting job towards the end of summer camp. While he was unstoppable through the first two weeks of the season, removing those games from his statistical line paints a grim picture. Through weeks 3-12, he completed just 43% of his passes for 733 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions.
Despite his poor performance last year, I’ve projected him to begin the 2020 season as the team’s starter behind center. Given the anticipated short preparation time, his experience should give him the edge over LeGendre. However, his leash will be much shorter this time around.
Lance LeGendre (Redshirt Freshman)
2020 Projection: Second-Team
2019 Statistics: 1/3 (33.3%), 7 yds, 0 TD, 0 INT; 13 carries, 104 yds (8.0 ypc), 0 TD
Locksley pulled off a signing day stunner last year when he stole LeGendre away from Florida State despite only having recruited him for a few weeks. He came to Maryland as a 4-star dual-threat prospect and saw playing time in three games while maintaining his redshirt status. He saw action in the team’s games against Howard, Michigan, and Nebraska, primarily showing off his mobility on a number of different option plays.
I’ve projected LeGendre to serve as Jackson’s backup to begin the 2020 season, but he’ll see plenty of playing time. Whether as a mobile counter to Jackson or as the starter himself, LeGendre is a major weapon in Montgomery’s offense. If Jackson struggles as he did in 2019, the coaching staff won’t hesitate to turn to their future leader sooner rather than later.
Eric Najarian (Sophomore)
2020 Projection: Third-Team
2019 Statistics: Did Not Play
Najarian walked onto the team last season as a freshman after spending three years as the starting quarterback at DeMatha Catholic High School in nearby Hyattsville.
I’ve projected Najarian to serve as the third-string quarterback in 2020. With the departures of Tyrrell Pigrome, Tyler DeSue, and Max Bortenschlager, Najarian is currently third in line for snaps.
David Foust (Freshman)
2020 Projection: Fourth-Team
2019 Statistics (High School): N/A
Foust joins the team as a preferred walk-on from South River High School in nearby Edgewater, and has a good chance to earn a scholarship when all is said and done. Last year, he threw for over 2,700 yards and posted an impressive 34:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio while leading his team to a 10-1 record.
I’ve projected Foust to serve as the fourth-string quarterback in 2020, but he’ll be given every opportunity to compete with Najarian for the third-string job.
Terps Analyst
Zack is a financial analyst for a defense contractor in Washington, DC. The Owings Mills native focuses most of his efforts on Maryland Football recruiting and individual coach and player pieces; but also covers Terps Basketball. He has established relationships with Big Ten beat reporters across the conference, which he utilizes in his game previews. Now a Sr. Terps Analyst for BSL, Zack can be reached at: zack.kiesel@baltimoresportsandlife.com.