On Kingsley Suamataia's transfer: 'It wasn't about football'

Leroy Suamataia, the father of Oregon's former star recruit, expands on why the offensive lineman is leaving the Ducks

Oregon’s emphasis on recruiting since Mario Cristobal took over late in 2017 has specifically seen a drastic transformation of Oregon’s offensive line. 

The former Alabama offensive line coach has built the Ducks from the inside out, beginning with Penei Sewell in the 2018 class and then adding sizable piece after piece in the years since. 

The gem for the line in the 2021 class was Kingsley Suamataia, the top-ranked recruit in Oregon’s top-ranked class ever. Suamataia was the No. 36 player in the country, the No. 1 player from the state of Utah and close friends with the Sewell family. His signing felt like the perfect match for the Ducks.

So it’s understandable that the news of Suamataia entering the transfer portal earlier this week caught the Oregon world by surprise. 

Leroy Suamataia, Kingsley’s father, briefly discussed his son’s departure with The I-5 Corridor.