Jayden de Laura has evolved from a Cougar to a Wildcat to now a Bobcat. The former Washington State and Arizona quarterback announced on X (Twitter) Monday afternoon that he's transferring to Texas State.
De Laura revealed his intentions to enter the transfer portal on Christmas Day, but stayed with the UA through the program's win over Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl.
After earning Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year honors in 2021, the Honolulu native transferred to Arizona and quarterbacked the Wildcats for two seasons under former head coach Jedd Fisch, who left the UA for the same role at Washington Sunday. De Laura started all 12 games for Arizona in 2022 and passed for 3,685 yards, the third-most in team history, and 25 touchdowns; he also threw a Pac-12-worst 13 interceptions.
De Laura’s 2023 campaign, however, drew questions long before he and the Wildcats took the field for their early-September season opener.
In May, it was first reported that de Laura and a former high school teammate, Wisconsin safety Kamo’i Latu, were among those trying to settle a civil case in Hawaii connected to an alleged incident that took place when both were star football players at Honolulu’s Saint Louis School. Court records say de Laura and Latu pleaded guilty to second-degree sexual assault in 2018 when they were both minors.
A Hawaii judge rejected the initial settlement, ruling Aug. 31 that the woman who is suing shouldn’t have accepted an amount deemed “too low” from de Laura, Latu and their parents. The reason given at that time was that the players’ incomes have grown substantially because they are allowed to earn money as college athletes from their individual name, image and likeness (NIL). It was reported that de Laura was also selling digital collectibles known as NFTs, the court was told.
Court records show that the parties, which include attorneys for the plaintiff, Saint Louis School, de Laura, Kamoi and their parents, reengaged settlement talks in the civil case earlier this month. After multiple days of discussion, an updated settlement could be reached as early as Tuesday, according to court records.
Fisch has publicly stood by de Laura. A statement from the UA athletic department in May also stated that while the UA first learned of the civil complaint against de Laura in fall 2022, “after reviewing the matter, the determination was made to allow de Laura to continue as a student-athlete and his status remains unchanged.”
The fourth-year junior started the first four games of the 2023 season for the Wildcats, but was replaced by redshirt freshman Noah Fifita, after de Laura suffered an ankle injury entering the fourth quarter of Arizona's come-from-behind win at Stanford.
Fifita went 7-2 as Arizona's starter; the two losses were a one-possession defeat against Washington and a triple-overtime setback at USC. Fifita's 2,869 yards, 25 touchdowns and six touchdowns on a 72.4% completion rate earned him Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year and Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors five times — a conference record.
With Fifita as the new face of Arizona football, de Laura entered the transfer portal and committed to Texas State 24 hours after his former coach, Fisch, signed a seven-year contract with Washington.
De Laura will join a Texas State team coming off an 8-5 season under first-year head coach and former NFL quarterback GJ Kinne III, who led the Bobcats to a win over Rice in the First Responder's Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas. That was the program's first postseason win since 2005.
De Laura will have one year of eligibility remaining at Texas State.
At the Pac-12's preseason football media event in Las Vegas, Friday, July 21, 2023, Arizona football coach Jedd Fisch addresses quarterback Jayden de Laura's status with the UA program amid news of a sexual-assault case involving de Laura becoming public this summer. Video courtesy Pac-12
VIDEO: Arizona quarterback Jayden de Laura reads a prepared statement during the Pac-12's preseason football media event in Las Vegas, Friday, July 21, 2023. Video courtesy Pac-12
