The Oregon State Beavers are in a little bit of a rebuild. After head coach Jonathan Smith left for Michigan State and the Pac-12 dissolved, the team will now have to find a new quarterback. DJ Uiagalelei has announced he intends to enter the transfer portal.
Breaking: Oregon State QB D.J. Uiagalelei is entering the NCAA transfer portal today, sources confirm to @PeteThamel. He’ll choose between the NFL draft and a new college home in the upcoming weeks.
ON3 and 247 Sports first reported Uiagalelei's intention to enter the transfer… pic.twitter.com/vmrjr5c1ew
— ESPN (@espn) November 30, 2023
Oregon State Beavers DJ Uiagalelei Enters Transfer Portal
Uiagalelei started his career at Clemson but was ultimately replaced. He transferred to Oregon State and in his one season played well for the Beavers. He threw for 2,638 yards, 21 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions. Big victories over Utah and UCLA were led by Uiagalelei and now he will look for a new home. He has not decided whether he will go to another program or whether he will declare for the NFL Draft. Regardless, the Beavers go back to the drawing board.
Not A Surprise
With Smith leaving, it isn’t a surprise to see players also moving on. This happens all the time when there is coaching turnover. It doesn’t help that the conference’s prestige is going to take a huge hit. Oregon State and Washington State have been left out to dry by the Pac-12 and got lost in the conference realignment. While I have no doubt these programs will find their way back into some type of conference, it is a big blow for recruits who were hoping to play on the biggest stage.
Will DJ Uiagalelei declare for the draft or come back for another year? It likely will depend on what type of offers he gets from other programs.