Cole McDonald has taken an early leave of Hawaii.
Via Twitter, Cole McDonald announced that, “after many conversations with coaches and family, I have decided to forego my senior year [at Hawaii] and declare for the 2020 NFL Draft.” The quarterback went on to state that he “will forever be grateful to the University of Hawaii for being the only school to offer me the chance to play Division I football.
“I will always carry Hawaii on my arm, but more importantly Hawaii will always be in my heart. With much Aloha, Mahalo Nui Loa Hawaii and I can’t wait to see you again!”
— °°° K . C °°° (@ColeHunter520) January 9, 2020
The California native was a two-star member of the Rainbow Warriors’ 2016 recruiting class. McDonald’s 8,032 career passing yards are fourth-most in school history, trailing only Timmy Chang, Colt Brennan and Bryant Moniz.
This past season, McDonald threw for 4,135 yards (third nationally) and 33 touchdowns (tied for eighth). He was also second on the team with 383 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns.
In the Hawaii Bowl win over BYU Christmas Eve, McDonald passed for a career-high 493 yards.
In finishing 10-5 on the season, Hawaii reached double-digit wins for the first time since 2010. They also played in their first-ever Mountain West Conference championship game.