Maryland's Taulia Tagovailoa enters transfer portal, but it's unclear if he'll have eligibility left

Updated Jan. 6, 2024 12:27 a.m. ET

Associated Press

Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa has entered the transfer portal and is pursuing an additional year of eligibility at the college level.

Tagovailoa, the younger brother of NFL star Tua Tagovailoa, became the Big Ten's career leader in yards passing this season. He opted to skip Maryland's matchup with Auburn in the Music City Bowl.

Tagovailoa has applied for a waiver from the NCAA for another year of eligibility. A Maryland spokesman confirmed Friday the school has filed the waiver request on his behalf.

This was Tagovailoa's fourth season playing for the Terrapins. Although one of those was the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he also played in five games for Alabama in 2019 before transferring to Maryland.

When asked in November whether he was approaching his final home game at Maryland, Tagovailoa said: “I don't think I have any years of eligibility left, do I? Yeah, I think this has to be the last one.”

Tagovailoa set a single-season school record with 3,860 yards passing in 2021 and led the Terrapins to three straight bowl appearances.

Elsewhere, Liberty quarterback Kaidon Salter, who had entered the transfer portal after accounting for a school-record 44 touchdowns, announced Friday night he had withdrawn from the portal and would return to the Flames.

Salter and the school shared a short video on social media with the words, “Run it back.”

Liberty won its first 13 games to secure the Conference USA title and a New Year’s Six bowl bid. The 23rd-ranked Flames ended their season with a 45-6 loss to No. 8 Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.

Salter threw for 2,876 yards and 32 touchdowns and rushed for 1,089 yards and 12 scores, breaking Malik Willis’ single-season Liberty record of 40 combined TDs.

He was recruited by the staff of Hugh Freeze, now the coach at Auburn.

Liberty wide receiver CJ Daniels, who had 55 receptions for 1,067 yards and 10 touchdowns, remains in the portal.

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