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Alabama transfer quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa announced his decision to join the Maryland football program Friday night.
For Col. Sean Flynn, a University of Maryland, College Park journalism graduate from the class of 1994, the news broke at 2:36 a.m. local time in Kuwait, where he is stationed with the US Army’s 42nd Infantry Division.
Flynn’s son, Hudson, a freshman at Fordham University, was able to break the major news — as he does all things Terps — via a phone call when his dad woke up about 6,000 miles away.
“It’s amazing,” Sean said after calming from his initial excitement. “Maryland hasn’t had a truly great QB since the ‘80s, one player has the potential to change a team forever, hopefully Taulia can do that for Maryland. This signing can give Maryland fans hope for the future during these dark and uncertain times.”
Maryland head coach Mike Locksley and his staff were able to reignite the passionate fanbase by bringing in the highly-touted former four-star recruit — who is the younger brother of Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa — in a move that not many expected to come to fruition.
Like the Flynns, many Maryland fans took to social media and let their voices be heard about this potentially monumental move.
Current & former players
Torrey Smith
We got a our QB! YESSIRRRRRRRRR!
— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) May 16, 2020
Welcome to Maryland! @tauliaa12 https://t.co/6VjDnFvZix
Rakim Jarrett
— Rak (@RakimJarrett) May 15, 2020
Josh Jackson
Welcome! ✊ https://t.co/WmxJAUFZRj
— Josh Jackson (@joshiejack17) May 16, 2020
Dontay Demus
Welcome let’s get started https://t.co/Yj9RuW4zwu
— 7️⃣ (@_godof5) May 16, 2020
Ayinde Eley
Let’s do it baby ‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️
— ACE (@Bigtime__ace) May 16, 2020
Ruben Hyppolite
All it took was a step of faith... now we up! #Reloaded #FTT #OG
— Ruben Hyppolite II (@rubenknows1) May 16, 2020
Cherokee Glasgow
Building an empire.
— Cherokee Glasgow (@CherokeeG_52) May 16, 2020
Marcus Finger
Welcome to UMD!! @tauliaa12 #UnfinishedBusiness pic.twitter.com/TJ5bEEpCml
— Marcus Finger (@marcus_finger) May 16, 2020
Tarheeb Still
The cribbbb #FTT
— (@tarheebstill21_) May 16, 2020
Cherokee Glasgow
Building an empire.
— Cherokee Glasgow (@CherokeeG_52) May 16, 2020
Recruits
Tai Felton
In November y’all was asking me why I picked Maryland and was hating . pic.twitter.com/jntqkeA0Sa
— (@playboytaishar) May 16, 2020
Dante Trader Jr.
Here come the fanboys #TBIA pic.twitter.com/nknLnhVw1z
— Dante Trader Jr. (@DizzyDante) May 16, 2020
Jayon Venerable
i tried to tell you #FTT
— Jackboy (@JayZVenerable) May 16, 2020
Demeioun Robinson
This bout to be one if the craziest combos https://t.co/HSEHgHB6hI
— Demeioun Robinson (@chopyoungbull) May 16, 2020
Marcus Bradley
— MARCUS D. BRADLEY (@GboMarc) May 15, 2020
Great Day To Be A Terp #TBIA https://t.co/gtXgRwPeRA
— MARCUS D. BRADLEY (@GboMarc) May 15, 2020
Fans
My father, who is the reason I am a Maryland fan, is currently deployed to Kuwait. He is still asleep, but little does he know he’s going to wake up to news that’s going to make his day 6,000 miles away. pic.twitter.com/y4sbhFjRtv
— Hudson Flynn (@HudsonFlynn_) May 16, 2020
It’s up in College Park pic.twitter.com/F65jF9ljwH
— Jared Goldstein (@_jgoldy17) May 16, 2020
Hell yeah I'm gonna be excited about Maryland landing a top QB because I once watched a linebacker start 4 games at QB for the Terps.
— Connor Newcomb (@ConnorNewcomb_) May 16, 2020
That's what Stefon Diggs was working with in college. pic.twitter.com/SfeWvB9AwD
Every sign at Game Day from now on pic.twitter.com/foFvL227ok
— Nate (@BarstoolNate) May 16, 2020
Maryland is so back https://t.co/dEzjlyxsTQ
— Big Truss Banks (@BarstoolBanks) May 15, 2020
BASK IN THIS MOMENT, FELLOW TERPS https://t.co/gR0S9pkaxD pic.twitter.com/JUfBtaEifB
— JgR (@JgR_photo) May 16, 2020
Terps with a premiere QB could be dangerous. 'Bout damn time they got one. https://t.co/Hs98gDrPMS
— Ricky Spanish (@SeauxAfrican) May 16, 2020
Media
— Scott Van Pelt (@notthefakeSVP) May 16, 2020
Just to summarize Mike Locksley's offseason for Maryland football so far:
— Lila Bromberg (@lilabbromberg) May 16, 2020
-Signed '20 5-star Rakim Jarrett (No. 4 WR, 27th best player)
-Got commitments from three DMV 4-stars for the class of '21
-Has the 13th best '21 class in the country
-Landed transfer QB Taulia Tagovailoa
Maryland after landing Taulia Tagovailoa: pic.twitter.com/wyyXyFrFP7
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) May 16, 2020
Locks continues to show that he's a force to be reckoned with on the recruiting trail. Something special truly brewing in College Park. https://t.co/nSYm9sMU1d
— Chris (@CBengelCBS) May 16, 2020
Who’s excited to see this combo play together in College Park? pic.twitter.com/a2RUvZFNhB
— Testudo Times (@testudotimes) May 15, 2020
Taulia Tagovailoa joins Maryland with former Bama OC and Terps HC Mike Locksley. In 2018, Taulia’s brother Tua played under Locksley’s offense and had 3,966 yards and 43 TDs passing.
— Ryan Hennessy (@RyanHennessyTV) May 15, 2020
Already the best quarterback Maryland has had since Perry Hills. https://t.co/GZo1UTYB50
— Josh Vitale (@JoshVitale) May 16, 2020
Turns out there will be a Tagovailoa in the DMV. Wow.
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) May 15, 2020
Mike Locksley making moves. https://t.co/EoZZRHT779