Player Career

Cole McDonald Career Story

Career story, signature performances, transfer context, and season arc are grouped for biography-style searches.

Player Story

Cole McDonald story

Cole McDonald built his college career from 2017 through 2019 as a quarterback from La Mirada, CA wearing No. 13, spending time with Hawai'i. The clearest part of Cole McDonald's career was his passing role: 8,035 passing yards, 70 touchdown passes, 1,004 attempts, and 861 rushing yards across 33 career games in the available record. His largest box-score season came in 2019 with Hawai'i. Those numbers show where he fit, how often the ball or action found him, and how his role developed over time.

Quarterback careers are usually judged first by volume, efficiency, and scoring chances. His career also includes 861 rushing yards, giving the story more than a single-category snapshot. With 33 career games in the available record, his career has enough shape to show both opportunity and production across Hawai'i.

The arc is straightforward: Cole McDonald moved through the depth chart, found a larger role, and turned that opportunity into production that can be understood through standard football numbers.

Career Arc

Track team changes, role shifts, and season-to-season movement.

  1. 1

    Hawai'i

    2017-2019

    Opening stop

Season Value Progression

20172018201820192019
SeasonTeamPrimaryEfficiencyUsageDelta
2017 Regular SeasonHawai'i16059.89.6
2018 PostseasonHawai'i4,22160.436.14,061
2018 Regular SeasonHawai'i4,22160.436.10
2019 PostseasonHawai'i4,51564.127.7294
2019 Regular SeasonHawai'i4,51564.127.70

Signature Performances

Top Games

#1 Featured game

@ Colorado State

Week 1 · W 43-34 · Conference game

Win with balanced pass-rush production and strong creator value.

514

Total Offense

88.3 takeover

514 total offense with 84.6 efficiency.

#2

vs Air Force

Week 8 · L 26-56 · Conference game

445

Total Offense

86 takeover

Loss with 445 yards of offense and 65.9 efficiency.

445 total offense with 65.9 efficiency.

#3

@ BYU

Week 1 · W 38-34 · Postseason

483

Total Offense

85.5 takeover

Win with 483 yards of offense and 62.5 efficiency.

483 total offense with 62.5 efficiency.

#4

vs Oregon State

Week 2 · W 31-28

440

Total Offense

83.1 takeover

Win with 440 yards of offense and 58.3 efficiency.

440 total offense with 58.3 efficiency.

#5

@ Army

Week 3 · L 21-28

340

Total Offense

78.5 takeover

Loss with 340 yards of offense and 69.4 efficiency.

340 total offense with 69.4 efficiency.

Top Seasons

#1 Season by Season Value

2018 Postseason · Hawai'i

4,221 primary output · 60.4 efficiency · 36.1 usage

79.5

#2

2018 Regular Season · Hawai'i

79.5

4,221 primary · 60.4 efficiency · 36.1 usage

#3

2019 Postseason · Hawai'i

75.7

4,515 primary · 64.1 efficiency · 27.7 usage

Milestones

18

250+ passing yards

16

300+ total offense

16

3+ TD games

19

Above avg efficiency