Why Oregon Ducks 5-Star Quarterback Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele Entering Transfer Portal After Rose Bowl

The Oregon Ducks flipped five-star quarterback recruit Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele from the California Golden Bears in the Early National Signing Period. Now, the talented quarterback from Hawai'i has reportedly entered the transfer portal.

Five-star quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele flipped to the Oregon Ducks from the California Golden Bears on signing day. / @jaron_keawe / Instagram

The Oregon Ducks flipped five-star quarterback recruit Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele from the California Golden Bears in the Early National Signing Period. Now, the talented quarterback from Hawai'i has reportedly entered the transfer portal less than a month later.

Sagapolutele was an early enrollee and participated in a few of Oregon's practices before the Rose Bowl Game against the Ohio State Buckeyes. Perhaps witnessing the Ducks' depth in the quarterback room was enough for the young passer to decide to leave the program.

Five-star quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele flipped to the Oregon Ducks from the California Golden Bears on signing day. / @jaron_keawe / Instagram

Oregon lost to the Ohio State Buckeyes in Pasadena, and the program is losing another top recruit from the 2025 class after wide receiver Dallas Wilson flipped to the Florida Gators after signing with the Ducks.

Behind starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel, Oregon coach Dan Lanning and offensive coordinator Will Stein are expected to turn to Dante Moore for the 2025 season. The experience and potential of Moore seemingly blocked Sagapolutele from starting early in his college career.

Moore is a former five-star quarterback himself who transferred to Oregon after spending his freshman season at UCLA under coach Chip Kelly. The former Bruins quarterback's decision to transfer in the same offseason as Gabriel surprised some because Moore willingness to spend a season as Gabriel's backup before taking over the starting role.

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Whether or not Moore's move has paid off is yet to be seen, but Oregon receiver Tez Johnson had high praise for the young quarterback when speaking to the media before the Rose Bowl.

"It's something you ain't seen yet. [Dante] can throw a ball like no other. I've never seen nothing like it. He's so ready. He's so ready to play. You can just tell. Like, we can put the two's in practice and they go out there and look just like the ones. You don't have a fall off. The standard that the first group has for the entire team - it's a waterfall. It goes from the ones, the twos, the threes. You don't see a single fall off," said Johnson.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore throws out a pass during warm ups as the Oregon Ducks host the Idaho Vandals Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Behind Moore, the Ducks quarterback room is deep with project backups like Austin Novosad, Luke Moga, as well as incoming freshman Akili Smith Jr., the second quarterback in Oregon's 2025 recruiting class alongside Sagapolutele.

The talented recruit was coveted by many programs before flipping to Oregon in December. A return to Cal and Bears coach Justin Wilcox would make sense for Sagapolutele. Additionally, the Georgia Bulldogs and coach Kirby Smart made a push at the end for the five-star quarterback, but the Ducks were able to land his signature. Less than a month later, Sagapolutele has another decision to make.

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