Want to be the third-string quarterback for the Maryland Terrapins in 2020? If you’re a student in College Park, you might have a decent chance to walk on.
The Terrapins are down to just two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster for next season — Josh Jackson and Lance LeGendre — after back-up Tyler DeSue announced Wednesday he is retiring from football.
In a message on social media largely addressed to the sport of football, DeSue thanked the game for teaching him “so many lessons that I will never forget” but described being pulled toward pursuing other interests.
“Lately I’ve been noticing that maybe my life has another calling, maybe I was meant for something more,” wrote the Virginia Beach native, who was a redshirt freshman last season. “Today is the day that I put my best foot forward and leave my playing days in the past.”
Doing what’s best for me🙏🏽 appreciate and love everyone who has been there for me. Maryland will always be home 🙏🏽🤟🏾👋🏾 pic.twitter.com/wEJ3JlDOEi
— Big Chai Guy☕️ (@DeSueTd3) February 19, 2020
DeSue follows Tyrrell Pigrome and Max Bortenschlager out the proverbial door. Pigrome and Bortenschlager entered the transfer portal earlier this winter, while DeSue plans to stay at Maryland to finish his degree.
It wouldn’t be the biggest issue for the Terrapins if not for the fact that the program has been cursed by quarterback injuries for years.
From 2012 to 2018, Maryland quarterbacks suffered six ACL tears — including two such injuries for Kasim Hill, who transferred out of Maryland after his 2018 season was cut short. In the 13 seasons since 2006, the Terrapins have only had one season (2014) in which one quarterback started every game.
Jackson arrived as a graduate transfer last year from Virginia Tech. He has one year of eligibility remaining. Jackson suffered a high-ankle sprain last year and missed two games — still better than a season-ending ACL injury.
Jackson is joined on the 2020 roster by redshirt freshman Lance LeGendre, who was a 4-star recruit when he signed to coach Mike Locksley’s initial Maryland recruiting class in early 2019.
DeSue joins a sizeable exodus from Maryland’s football program that’s occurring not just with quarterbacks. According to The Diamondback, 21 Terrapins players that had eligibility remaining have left the program, counting players that either declared early for the NFL draft, entered the transfer portal or retired.
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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