Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele received recruiting calls from teams across the Power 4 conferences this offseason despite never entering the transfer portal.
The true freshman had one of the most productive debut seasons in college football. Sagapolutele threw for 3,454 yards, ranking in the top-20 nationally, along with 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He added four rushing touchdowns.
“Anytime you have a true freshman that comes in and balls out and does incredibly well, you’re going to have teams that try and get in on him and try and talk to people around him and hit him up,” a Cal official told The Sporting News on the condition of anonymity.
“There were numerous teams that came in and hit his representation up, hit his family up. Teams from all over the SEC, ACC, Big Ten. There were teams everywhere trying to get in on him.”
Sagapolutele committed to staying at Cal even after the coaching change from Justin Wilcox to Tosh Lupoi from Oregon. Lupoi was on Oregon’s staff when Sagapolutele originally committed to the Ducks before flipping to Cal prior to last season.
The tampering attempts continued even after Sagapolutele announced his intentions in December.
“After spending time with my family, a lot of prayer and many discussions, I have come to realize that Cal is the best place for me,” he told ESPN.
Building Around the Quarterback
Cal added 13 offensive transfers to support Sagapolutele’s development. The Golden Bears targeted experienced receivers who could make an immediate impact.
“The biggest thing for him is getting his body in a better spot,” the Cal official said. “It was in a great spot last year. There’s a natural progression to your physical development. Focusing on that, adding muscle mass and toning himself down, he’s done a great job with that.”
The transfer additions include three 4-Star receivers and tight ends who combined for over 1,550 receiving yards last season:
• 4-Star WR Ian Strong
• 4-Star WR Chase Hendricks
• 4-Star TE Dorian Thomas
• 4-Star RB Adam Mohammed
• 3-Star TE Rico Walker
• 3-Star IOL Ashton Rivera
• 3-Star IOL Kahlee Tafai
• 3-Star WR Cooper Perry
• 3-Star OT Jimothy Lewis
• 3-Star OT Mykeal Rabess
• 3-Star RB Carter Vargas
• 3-Star RB Ashten Emory
• 3-Star OT Jacob Arop
Hendricks and Strong each recorded over 700 receiving yards last season. Thomas added 550+ yards at tight end.
“Those are all guys who have come in, and one of their big reasons for picking this place was to be able to play with Jaron,” the Cal official said.
The chemistry showed during Cal’s spring game where Sagapolutele threw for 185 yards and one touchdown. Perry, who followed Lupoi from Oregon, caught that touchdown pass while Strong, Hendricks, and Thomas were all active in the offense.
Cal opens the season against UCLA on September 5th. Sagapolutele enters his sophomore season with legitimate Heisman Trophy consideration after his record-setting freshman campaign and the addition of proven offensive weapons.
