Is Next Michigan Football Quarterback A Big Ten Transfer?

Over the past two seasons, the Wolverines boast an impressive 28-1 with two Big Ten titles, CFP appearances, and a National Championship — all things that can be largely attributed to the performance of Michigan football quarterback JJ McCarthy. Today, McCarthy declared for the NFL Draft, meaning Michigan will need a new QB next year, and Big Ten transfer Taulia Tagovailoa (Maryland) could be a top target for the Maize and Blue.

Could next Michigan football quarterback be a Maryland transfer?

Michigan football has already taken one Maryland transfer in this cycle, and with JJ McCarthy leaving, taking another could make some sense. Sure, the Wolverines have talents like Alex Orji and Jayden Denegal on the roster right now, though it’s unclear whether or not either will be ready to start for Michigan by next fall — Jadyn Davis will also be in Ann Arbor shortly, though he will be a true freshman, and will likely not get a chance to start just yet.

On the other hand, there are a number of notable transfer portal quarterbacks still on the market heading into spring practice. One such talent is ex-Maryland QB Taulia Tagovailoa, the younger brother of Miami Dolphins standout Tua Tagovailoa, who recently announced his plans to transfer following the 2023-24 season. Seeing as the veteran Big Ten quarterback has been in college for five seasons now, he is still petitioning the NCAA for a sixth year of eligibility, so it remains to be seen how viable of an option he truly is for the Wolverines.

Taulia Tagovailoa plays football tonight🙏🏼

It’s a good night

Blackout game for Maryland should be electric pic.twitter.com/WjsZZvS0VX

— CFBTalkDaily (@CFBTalkDaily) September 15, 2023

It’s hard to replace JJ McCarthy

During his four years with Maryland (excluding his 2019 season with Alabama), Taulia Tagovailoa threw for over 11,200 yards and 76 touchdowns with 37 interceptions while completing 67 percent of his passes on 1,424 attempts. He is the Big Ten’s all-time passing yards leader and has earned numerous All-Big Ten honors for his athletic and academic performances over the past few years. While no one will ever quite replace JJ McCarthy, the younger Tagovailoa brother could be the next best thing in the Michigan football quarterback role next fall as the Wolverines chase a second-straight National Championship.

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