By Tim Peterson
(Pasadena) – Quarterback Kaiden Agbunag, from McClintock High in Tempe Arizona, has transferred to Muir Mustangs head coach Matt Villasenor confirmed Wednesday.
Agbunag, Class of 2029, already has six Division 1 offers including Colorado, Hawaii and Sacramento State. Agbunag enrolled at Muir last week and participated in a passing league event last Friday and has been practicing with the Mustangs this week.
Arthur Moreno has been the quarterback at Muir throughout the spring and summer and has looked good in the process. Villasenor indicated that Agbunag would have to compete with Moreno for the starting position.
The Mustangs kick off the season August 21 at Bonita.
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Unless the school self-reports CIF tens not to act. CIF tends to act after the season is over. Why? So that CIF offices can collect all the money they can from high school football and its players. Again try to get into a high school football game without paying fees first and then the ticket price which for a public or even a private school seems like and feels like piracy and Theft.
CIF bylaws say if the student athlete did not move addresses he will have to sit half the season and if they give incorrect information(LIE) they will not get to participate in games for 24 months(AKA) Bishop Montgomery. I see a lot of Bishop Montgomery scenarios this year.
Can Matt V without recruiting? Is he an X’s and Os guy or just a get back coach like he was at Amat?
Something I want to add is this seems like a direct slap in the face to Arthur Moreno. He was clearly ready to play this year and now he won’t be the starting QB because they wouldn’t bring in Agbunag to be a bench guy. I could see a world where he gets mad and it causes some locker room turmoil and I also wouldn’t be shocked if he transfers next year if Agbunag stays.
Come on now?! Going undefeated in MVL is not a flex one might think it is! LOL!!!
Matt V said Agbunag would have to compete with Moreno for the starting job. Hilarious. That’s like saying Matthew Stafford would have to compete with Ty Simpson for the Rams starting job. He didn’t bring a D1 recruit with D1 offers all the way from out of state to just sit on the bench. Moreno bitter learn a different position.
@ Best Guess,
Unless something changed I don’t think that schools or any coaching staff can pay players otherwise it would be a violation of CIF bylaw. I’m pretty sure NIL exists but it has to be separate from the school and NIL pretty much only appears with the players that go to like Trinity League schools, not schools like Muir.
I would be very interested to know how many players are being paid via the NIL situation, particularly at the top schools such as Santa Margarita, Mater Dei, Bosco, etc. I would bet dollars to donuts that Matty V is somehow getting some money flipped to this QB transfer, and that’s OK. I’m not trying to stir the pot, merely inquiring about the latest financial development in what used to be amateur athletics.
It used to be El Rancho, La Serna and Charter Oak. Those were the old hit machines. Today it is Muir High School, Baldwin Park High School and St Paul. Transfers rule the hit today. And forget the kid that lives next door to the school that he attends and plays for. Kind of sad
He also failed to win a playoff game last year and lost to California high school even though he brought in multiple transfers. The El Monte jets could’ve won that league.
From T. Peterson: Cal was actually pretty good last year. They beat El Monte who went undefeated in the MVL. That wasn’t a bad loss at all. As far as the El Monte Jets they need a quarterback and they need to beef up their offensive line. They’re not quite there yet.
The answer why prop these salesman up on the Mid Valley News is the same they’ve given time it again in the past years. It’s for the hits. Just look at the response to this story.
From Joe T.: I don’t know Matty V….he came on after I left…I’ve haven’t been up to date/in the know in area football for almost a decade…but can I ask…Isn’t it news? And if it’s news, shouldn’t it be shared? I’m not being snarky, I’m just asking…
If Matt V don’t want that Moreno kid at QB
I’ll take him. That kid is good.
Nogales won their league last year, they went 5-0
Honest to god, I say this in the most respectful way, I would rather hear about the 4 year Latino stud QB at Arroyo or El Monte who’s grown over the years over a mercenary QB purchased from out of state by the biggest grifter in sgv football history. MattV has been a failure at every stop and somehow falls upwards every time, but I guess if a madman like trump can convince a bunch of idiots to vote him in as president then its no surprise MattV can have Freddy, Mark
The Dolphin and now the midvalley stanning for him.
From T. Peterson: We have talked about the QB at Arroyo, the RB at El Monte, the WR at Northview, the LB at Charter Oak, name the position and a local school…we’ve written and talked about them…every single year. Why? Because it’s news. That’s what we do. Why wouldn’t we mention this transfer? A transfer to a local school…from out of state…with offers = News. Also you might want to do your homework on Matt V. Nogales won the Montview last year going 5-0 and he completely turned Sierra Vista around prior to that.
Why does Villasenor feel the need to trumpet his every move? Essentially the same reason Donald Trump does; it’s called hubris. Plus, as you say, it’s a way to announce that your program is the hot ticket.
From T. Peterson: He didn’t trumpet anything. News was already out. See comment below.
Why did the coach feel the need to call the Press and advertise this kids arrival? What’s the point? To scare other teams? Or is the point to encourage other kids to transfer over and you get your name in the paper. If that’s the point local press and the Mid Valley Sports is not doing the kid any favors. There are a lot of kids that have transferred to other schools and their coaches have smartly determined to make no announcements. Heck La Serna football is made up almost entirely of kids outside their attendance area. Smart coaches keep quiet and don’t put added pressure on the player and don’t discourage the players on their team.
From T. Peterson; He didn’t call the press. The transfer was originally reported by Greg Biggins who covers HS Football and college football recruiting. Several other outlets had it as well. I then reached out to the head coach and he confirmed it. Even if he didn’t confirm it was already out. You really think a kid that has several college offers and transfers to a local school is going to be kept quiet? Haha! It doesn’t work that way. Like it or not it’s news.
@Burbank High Fan
Because of the wonderful reputation of the Pasadena Unified School District and it’s academic success.
He is a used car salesman.Where has he won? anything?
Color me shocked!!! 😮
It’s truly refreshing and reassuring to see MVS commentators come together on this issue ! It’s rare to see this type of unanimity of opinion , and I’m happy to embellish previous points . This move makes transferring to Nogales from Castaic look like neighborhood jaunt !
Agbunag played for mid level Arizona school last year . Team was 5-5 . They feasted on lower level teams in their league and piled up huge scores in those games . They played up in non league and blown out in those games
He’s undersized by D1 standards, and schools listed as offering have lowest tier NIL $$$. Thus the allure of California competition, and whatever bag of pyrite dust Coach Poach can throw in his eyes becomes irresistible.
It will be very interesting to see how this influences team chemistry and the fortunes of Muir football! They had to make a move now , because once the games start the adjustments vanish .
Matty V is a known hustler in this business, promising scholarships left and right. Since this jock has already secured D1 offers, the likely draw here is NIL money. This means our good buddy Villasenor has taken recruiting into the next dimension. Will this guy start? Does a wild bear crap in the woods?
I live in a LA I don’t know where Muir is hahaha
There’s no way that this happened normally. Why would a highly regarded QB from Arizona move to CA and choose to play for Matty V out of all people?
$$$$
What is the point of this? Didn’t they already have a pretty solid QB. It’s truly sad what has become of high school football and what the local pundits are now pushing. You have some of the truly great coaches doing it with their backyard kids doing an amazing job and the story that sells is the one about the grifting coach going out and shopping for a QB the same way he’s done it at every other stop.
I am sorry. I wish everyone well, but it is difficult to get excited about this kind of stuff.