Who is Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele? What to know about Cal freshman QB

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Who is Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele? What to know about Cal freshman QB

The Hawaii Bowl will be a homecoming for California‘s quarterback.

Freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele leads the Golden Bears to the Aloha State to face Hawai’i in the 2025 Hawaii Bowl, capping off a promising season for the left-handed gunslinger. It wasn’t entirely a great campaign for Cal, as it fired coach Justin Wilcox following a disastrous loss to rival Stanford, but Sagapolutele has been a bright spot in his first season of college football.

Even better: His future will remain in blue and gold, giving the Golden Bears hope for more success as Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi takes over the program. Here’s what to know about Sagapolutele and how Lupoi persuaded him to remain for the 2026 season:

California Golden Bears quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (3) throws a pass against the Southern Methodist Mustangs during the first quarter at California Memorial Stadium.

Who is Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele? Recruiting profile

A four-star quarterback coming out of high school, Sagapolutele was the No. 7-ranked quarterback and the No. 67 overall player in the 2025 recruiting class, according to 247Sports’ Composite rankings. He was the top-ranked player from Hawaii.

Sagapolutele originally committed to Oregon and enrolled with the Ducks on Dec. 27, 2024. However, he entered the transfer portal a week later on Jan. 3, and committed to Cal just two days later.

How to pronounce Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele

Sagapolutele’s name may look hard to pronounce, but it’s actually not. In Hawaiian language, the “w” is typically pronounced as a “v.” His last name also has a “n” sound after “Sa.”

So, his name is pronounced: Ja-ron Kay-ah-vay Song-uh-polo-tell-ay.

Where is Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele from?

Sagapolutele is from Ewa Beach, Hawaii (pronounced Eh-vah). He attended Campbell High School in his hometown.

Ewa Beach is on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, the same island where the Hawaii Bowl takes place on the University of Hawaii campus. The game is played about 12 miles east of Ewa Beach.

How old is Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele?

Born on Aug. 2, 2006, Sagapolutele is 19 years old.

Is Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele transferring?

The firing of Justin Wilcox opened the door for Sagapolutele to transfer, something the college football world thought could happen as he would be a highly pursued player for several notable programs.

But Sagapolutele is staying in Berkeley.

Shortly after Cal hired Lupoi on Dec. 5, the new coach flew to Hawaii to meet with Sagapolutele. A day later, the quarterback said he believed in Cal and committed to stay with the Golden Bears for 2026.

“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,” Sagapolutele said in a statement. “I am grateful to be surrounded by so many supportive people who can help me achieve the goals that I have on and off the football field. I am excited to finish this season with a group of guys who have put in so much work and effort and I look forward to the 2026 season.”

Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele stats

  • Passing: 288-of-453 (63.6%)
  • Passing yards: 3,117
  • Touchdown passes: 17
  • Interceptions: 9

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele? Meet Cal QB playing in Hawaii Bowl

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