Cal coach discusses quarterback choices after 41-7 loss to Wake Forest

The University of California football team lost 41-7 to No. 21 Wake Forest, with first-year coach Tosh Lupoi addressing the quarterback situation after the game, according to multiple sources including the Press Democrat, Mercury News, and East Bay Times.

Sophomore Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, who had been the starting quarterback since his freshman year, was recently removed from the injury list after recovering from a concussion sustained two weeks prior at UNLV. Despite this, backup Jackson Brousseau started the game and had previously performed well in a 25-20 upset win over Virginia Tech.

Lupoi said Brousseau earned the start due to his recent performance and that both quarterbacks did well at times. Sagapolutele entered the game late in the third quarter when the Bears were trailing 41-0, completing 15 of 18 passes for 110 yards and generating a touchdown during that period.

The coach declined to confirm who will start in the next game against No. 24 SMU, stating he will assess and choose players he believes will give the team the best chance to win. The Bears currently hold a 3-4 overall record and a 2-2 record in the ACC.

During the game, Cal fell behind early, with Brousseau averaging just 4.7 yards per completion in the first half. Lupoi also made a notable decision to keep the offense on the field during a fourth-and-1 situation early in the game, resulting in a completed pass to Chase Hendricks.