CHESTNUT HILL – There is an unpredictable aspect to California quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele’s game that Boston College football coach Bill O’Brien finds disconcerting.
The 6-foot-3, 225-pound, dual-threat true freshman signal caller from Ewa Beach, Hawaii, has the uncanny ability to create plays when the original call signaled in from the sidelines breaks down.
Sagapolutele’s ability to improvise on the run will be a challenge for the BC defense when the Eagles host the Golden Bears in their ACC home opener on Saturday afternoon (3:30 p.m.) at Alumni Stadium.
The Eagles are 1-2 and 0-1 in the conference after their 30-20 loss at Stanford on Sept. 13. California opened the season 3-0 before being poleaxed 34-0 by San Diego State last Saturday. The Golden Bears are playing their ACC opener.
“He’s a good player, a lefty, and is good out of the pocket. He makes a lot of off-schedule plays, and he’s smart,” O’Brien said. “He is a very good player, and he’s got a great rating (127.86) right now.
“He is playing at a real high level right now, and he’s a big guy. He’s a good passer, and he’s smart, and he has a good command of their offense. He can move out of the pocket, and he makes a lot of off-schedule plays.
“But he makes plays in the pocket, and he reads the defense very well. He is an excellent quarterback, whether he’s a freshman or a seventh-year senior. “
In his four starts, Sagapolutele has completed 88-of-143 passes for 980 yards with a long of 51, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions.
“(He’s) a mobile quarterback that obviously can run fast, so the biggest thing is keep him contained,” said defensive tackle Ty Clemons, a 6-3, 288-pound, redshirt senior. “Everybody has to stay in their gap and get the guy on the ground.”
Sagapolutele has a rushing touchdown, but he is not an essential component in California’s run game. Cal coach Justin Wilcox, in his ninth season at Berkeley, has a trio of talented backs to support a sustained ground attack.
Cal averages 105.3 rushing yards per game, led by Kendrick Raphael, who has netted 228 yards on 50 carries with a score. Brandon High Jr. and LJ Johnson Jr. have combined for 181 yards on 44 carries with a touchdown apiece. Raphael needs 38 yards to reach 1,000 in his career.
While Cal has not posted overwhelming rush stats, BC struggled to contain the ground game in its losses to Michigan State and Stanford. The Cardinal netted 213 rushing yards on 37 carries, with tailback Micah Ford leading the way with 257 yards on 17 attempts that included a 75-yard explosive.
“We can just all be better, that’s the biggest thing, and being our best,” Clemons said. “If we can all just be our best, I think we will have a lot more success and have the outcome that we want.”
Sagapolutele has been very effective in spreading the ball around, with 14 players having one catch or more. Trond Grizzell is the Bears’ deep threat with 15 catches for 266 yards and a touchdown. Jacob DeJesus leads the team with 20 grabs for 176 yards and a touchdown. He is also one of the most dangerous kick and punt return specialists in the ACC.
“They do a good job of spreading the ball around, and it’s a good offense,” O’Brien said. “It is very important to play disciplined defense against their offense, which is what we are going to try and do.
“There are a lot of motion and a lot of shifts, what we call funky formations. There are a lot of different things you’ve got to be ready for. You have to play each play.
“Every single play is a story unto itself. You have to play it that way. You have to understand the situation and what they are trying to do. You have to get lined up right and play with discipline.”
BC quarterback Dylan Lonergan, a redshirt sophomore transfer from Alabama who will be making his fourth career start, is capable of putting the Eagles over the top if the game devolves into a shootout with Sagapolutele.
Lonergan leads the nation in completions per game (30) and total completions (90), and his 73.2 completion percentage is second in the ACC and 10th nationally. He leads the ACC in passing yards per game (330.3), and his nine touchdowns are third in the conference and top 15 nationally.
The Eagles’ offensive front has done a good job of keeping Lonergan upright and providing him the time to look downfield for his diverse troupe of pass catchers. BC has allowed just four sacks this season, and the matchup in the trenches appears to favor the Eagles. Cal has recorded six sacks in four games with 14 QB hurries.
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