Freshman QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele Dynamite in Cal Debut

Sagapolutele said he had fun but deflected much of his debut success to his coaches and his offensive line. That modest selflessness is a quality that serves quarterbacks well, especially young ones.

Asked if he was nervous, Sagapolutele said he was anxious to get on the field.

“I wasn’t really nervous about playing bad. It was just really about going out there with my brothers and being able to compete against just a good team,” he said. “Once we got on the field, I just soaked it all in, got my first pass completed and it was just up from there.”

Jared Goff, who went on to become the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft after his junior season, passed for more yards (450) on Day 1 as the only previous Cal freshman quarterback to start the opener.

But Goff threw fewer touchdowns (2) and more interceptions (3) and came out on the wrong end of a 44-30 home defeat to Northwestern. Sagapolutele, backed by a much superior defense than those early Sonny Dykes teams, already has matched the win total of the 1-11 the 2013 Bears.

He and the Bears expect much more.

“I felt we left some points on the field,” Sagapolutele said. “It was a great game but there’s always so much more we can improve on.”

Wilcox said he was proud of his young quarterback, echoing there will lots of lessons going forward.

“It’s also the first time he’s played in a college game, in a tough place, against a good defense,” Wilcox said. “It was not at all too big for him. There’s going to be a lot to learn, but he handled all of it extremely well.”

Sagapolutele’s numbers might have been significantly better except that his receivers could not haul in at least three well-throw deep balls. Sagapolutele took the blame for those.

“Hitting those home run balls when it’s there is something I’ve got to work on,” he said. “I’ve just got to make better throws and I know my guys will come down with it all the time.”

Wilcox had no complaints when asked about those deep throws.

“Excellent,” he said. “Jaron’s a very, very accurate passer. It showed up today. It wasn’t like there was nerves and he was overthrowing people or skipping the ball — there was none of that. He threw the ball very well.”

 Linebacker and team captain Cade Uluave was suitably impressed but not surprised by what he saw.

“Man, Jaron’s a stud,” Uluave said. “He’s a baller and I knew it from Day 1. I’m super proud of him. What you saw in the game is what he’s been doing since spring ball.”

Sagapolutele’s mother and father, Setema and Tiki, made the trip from Ewa Beach on the island of O’ahu, which made the night complete for their son.

“They were so happy for me," he said. “I was happy for them . . . getting to see a smile on my mom and my dad’s face. That I got to play in my first college game and it went not too bad.”

Yep, not too bad.