Daxx Garman sounds like the name of a character in "Guardians of the Galaxy" or some other sci-fi epic. A time-traveling, intergalactic smuggler, perhaps.

In real life, Garman hasn't hopped through any dimensions that we know about. It only seems that way, given the way the quarterback's itinerant career has gone.

Garman transferred to Maryland in May after graduating from Oklahoma State, where he started eight games in 2014. The Terrapins are his third Power 5 program -- he left Arizona after redshirting his freshman year in 2011. That followed a prep career that saw him go to three different high schools.

There is no guarantee Garman will even start at Maryland, as he is currently locked in a three-man battle for the job with Caleb Rowe and Perry Hills. But Garman, who didn't play in a single game from 2009 until 2013 during his flurry of moves, hopes he has at last found his home.

"The whole environment here is great, and the other players have welcomed me with open arms," he told ESPN.com this week. "It's been a great experience so far, and I'm glad to be part of this team."

In a telephone interview, Garman sounded weary of discussing his strange, winding path. Suffice it to say that there was controversy and eligibility concerns surrounding his high school decisions, along with accusations of carpetbagging. He left Arizona after the Wildcats switched offensive systems when Rich Rodriguez became head coach. Read this story for a fuller, fascinating picture of Garman's travels.

Garman finally got his chance to play with Oklahoma State last year, replacing injured starter J.W. Walsh in Week 2. He led the Cowboys to five straight wins and was named Big 12 player of the week after throwing for 370 yards and four touchdowns against Texas Tech.

But his numbers dipped as the season wore on and he took a beating behind a subpar offensive line. Garman missed the final three games with a concussion while Oklahoma State burned Mason Rudolph's redshirt. Rudolph won the job this spring, and Garman picked up stakes yet again.

He had to learn another system, another set of teammates' names, another campus. But Garman is viewing this as a positive as he prepares to add the Big Ten to a résumé that already includes time in the Pac-12 and Big 12.

"I wouldn't say it's tough," he said. "It's an experience, something you take in. You get to know people from all over the country and try to pick up a lot of different things from different people. I think I've picked up lot of things that can help me going into this year."

Though Garman might be one of the poster children for the rising trend of quarterback transfers, he has impressed teammates and coaches with his dedication to his craft. Terrapins coach Randy Edsall has called Garman a "football junkie," while offensive coordinator Mike Locksley speaks glowingly of how much time Garman spends studying plays and concepts.

Edsall insisted this summer that Garman wasn't simply an insurance policy for Rowe, who was widely presumed to be the starter all offseason despite missing spring practice with an injury. Edsall said the competition at quarterback is real and that he's giving all three guys time with the No. 1 offense. Garman was scheduled to take the first snaps on Wednesday.

Maryland could make an announcement on a starter by this weekend, but Edsall isn't rushing the decision.

"You'd like to see guys jump ahead of other people," he said after Tuesday's practice. "We've got time to be able to make the decision. I've always believed the guys will determine what the decision is."

Garman has been known for his arm strength and propensity to throw the deep ball, which was a staple of Oklahoma State's offense last season. But, he said, "I've really tried to work on my short-to-intermediate throws this offseason and all summer, really fine-tuning that stuff." Garman has already played in several different systems but said he likes Locksley's attack because it is "very versatile. It implements everything, so that helps me out."

Edsall and Locksley didn't promise him anything but a chance to compete for the starting job, Garman said. That's all he wanted. Garman is just hoping that at long last, he has found the right time and space.