BERKELEY — Cal announced Monday that Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele will start at Oregon State on Aug. 30, following Jared Goff as just the Bears’ second true freshman quarterback to start the season-opening game.
“We felt like he earned it,” Cal coach Justin Wilcox said after confirming that Sagapolutele will get the nod over another first-year Golden Bear, redshirt junior Devin Brown, a transfer from Ohio State.
Twelve years after Goff debuted by passing for 450 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions in a 44-30 defeat to 22nd-ranked Northwestern, Sagapolutele won’t be asked to carry such a heavy burden.
Freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele was named the Cal Bears starting quarterback ahead of their 2025 season opener. Photo courtesy of Cal Athletics/Al Sermeno/KLC fotos
Goff, who eventually became a No. 1 NFL pick, was the centerpiece of coach Sonny Dykes’ pass-heavy offense as a freshman in 2013. But the Bears were inexperienced and overmatched nearly everywhere else on the field and finished the season with a 1-11 record.
Sagapolutele, playing in new offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin’s offense, faces different expectations.
“I’m sure he won’t be perfect. We’re just expecting him to be Jaron and get a little better every day,” Wilcox said. “He’s comfortable in his own skin. He’s a confident guy. He’s very easy for people to get along with and talk to.
“We’re not asking Jaron to shoulder every load out there. We need everybody on the team to help him. From a leadership standpoint, he has leadership abilities. He’s got a lot on his plate right now. But I’m more than confident that he handle all of it.”
A 6-foot-3, 225-pounder from Ewa Beach, Hawaii, Sagapolutele signed with Cal a year ago, flipped to Oregon and spent a month with the Ducks before changing course again and returning to Cal.
He was rated a five-star prospect by On3 and a 4-star recruit according to 247Sports and ESPN. He passed for 3,404 yards and 46 touchdowns with just three interceptions as a senior at Campbell High School.
Sagapolutele wasn’t available for comment on Monday, but two weeks ago while talking with reporters suggested he was ready for whatever comes his way.
“I think I’m in a great position, being a freshman, a true freshman, being able to compete for the starting job,” Sagapolutele said. “And even if I’m not named the starter, I mean, it’d also be nice to learn and see in real time how the game goes and just learning as much as I can.
“I think if I’m the starter or if I’m not, I think it’s a blessing both ways. I’ll get a year under the offense. Maybe next year come back even stronger. And maybe this year, if I get a chance to play, just hope I can show my stuff out there.”
He’ll get that chance in Corvallis a week from Saturday against the Beavers, a former Pac-12 rival.
Wilcox, who made the decision on Sunday after the Bears’ second scrimmage of fall camp the night before, said Sagapolutele has consistently showed accuracy and the ability to keep his eyes down the field. He’s also smart and coachable.
“He comes out here the same guy every day. He’s quick to smile but he’s a very competitive guy,” Wilcox said. “He’s still learning. Where you get concerned is when a guy gets here and you have the same coaching points over and over again and it’s not resonating. He’s a guy who’s shown he can learn and digest it. Out on the field he’s got the right demeanor.”
Brown, the backup quarterback for Ohio State’s national championship team a year ago, was expected to have an edge over Sagapolutele, based on his experience.
“Devin, I’m sure, is disappointed, which you would expect,” Wilcox said. “I think Devin’s a good football player. He does a lot of things well. He’s extremely smart, he’s been a great leader. There’s a point, we (will) need Devin.”