On Dec. 4, 2024, five-star QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele signed with the Oregon Ducks as part of the 2025 recruiting class. On Jan. 2, 2025, he entered the transfer portal. What went wrong in Eugene, and where will the talented signal-caller go next?
Where Will Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele Transfer?
After initially committing to the California Bears last summer, Sagapolutele flipped to Oregon during the early signing period last month.
“I just felt that I wasn’t a main priority [at Oregon],” Sagapolutele told ESPN. “Of course, there’s going to be competition anywhere I go. But I’m just looking at other QB rooms and the best place for me to go get on the field early.”
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Perhaps the 6’3″ Hawai’i native arrived on campus and realized there truly wasn’t a path toward playing time as a freshman or even a sophomore with the highly touted Dante Moore, Austin Novosad, and program legacy Akili Smith Jr. in the QB room.
Either way, Hawai’i’s all-time high school passing leader is already looking for his next collegiate home. Which landing spots make the most sense?
California Bears
Cal didn’t sign another 2025 QB prospect following Sagapolutele’s flip, and campus hero Fernando Mendoza has transferred to the Indiana Hoosiers. If the coaching staff isn’t jaded by his decision, they should welcome him back with open arms and a chance to win the QB1 spot as early as next season.
UCLA Bruins
Speaking of Indiana, the school’s offensive coordinator and QBs coach, Tino Sunseri, recently left for the UCLA Bruins. While the Southern California-based university recruited Sagapolutele, it didn’t offer him a scholarship.
With Sunseri on board to revitalize the offense and App State’s Joey Aguilar the only real competition in the QB room, the Bruins could rectify the issue and land the five-star passer.
Georgia Bulldogs
How about jumping from one College Football Playoff loser to another? Too soon?
The Georgia Bulldogs got an extended look at prospective 2025 starter Gunner Stockton against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and it likely caused some concern. The QB depth chart features former Arizona State QB Jaden Rashada, true freshman Ryan Puglisi, and a couple of talented 2025 recruits in Ryan Montgomery and Hezekiah Millender.
Nevertheless, adding Sagapolutele would give the coaching staff even more firepower to choose from when entering another CFP reload.
Oregon State Beavers
If Eugene didn’t fit, what about Corvallis? Out goes Gevani McCoy and Dom Montiel, and in comes former Duke QB Maalik Murphy. Although Murphy, Ben Gulberson, and Gabarri Johnson will challenge for the QB1 role in 2025, Sagapolutele would have the inside track toward starting in 2026.
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The Oregon State Beavers allow him to compete in the same state he’d planned on just a month ago while offering a clearer path toward playing time.
Utah State Aggies
The Utah State Aggies recruited Sagapolutele heavily but struggled to compete with the Power Four programs on his heels. Do they have a fighting chance now that playing time is seemingly his No. 1 priority and Bronco Mendenhall is in place as head coach? It’s a long shot but one worth mentioning.
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