Rose Bowl Will Be Presenting Sponsor of Football Recruiting Event

Pasadena’s Rose Bowl Institute has become presenting sponsor of the Terry Donahue Memorial California Showcase, a college football recruiting event to be held next year in Orange County.

The 14th annual showcase will take place Saturday, Feb. 20, 2027, at the Great Park in Irvine.

Graduating high school seniors and community college football players will be evaluated by coaches from National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II and III schools, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics programs and community colleges.

The institute, established through the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation, has previously worked with showcase organizers. The new sponsorship is intended to broaden the event’s reach and link football recruiting with educational and leadership programs, according to the stadium’s announcement. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed in the release.

Pat Donahue, brother of the late University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) football coach Terry Donahue, helps lead the showcase with former associates, players and assistant coaches. “Terry loved this event and what it represented — giving young men the opportunity to pursue their dreams and play the game they love,” Pat Donahue said in the release.

The event combines position-specific tests and drills with a college fair where athletes can speak directly with coaches about recruitment and financial aid. The showcase’s website says participation is free for both athletes and college coaches.

According to figures published by the organizers, more than 5,200 athletes have participated since the program began in 2013, and nearly 1,500 have continued their football careers in college. The organization says participants have received more than $50 million in financial aid from approximately 160 colleges and universities in 35 states.

James Washington, president of the Rose Bowl Institute and a former UCLA player who has coached at the showcase, said in the release, “There is tremendous talent out there, but talent needs opportunity.”

Terry Donahue coached UCLA from 1976 through 1995 and died in 2021. His connections to Pasadena’s Rose Bowl are recognized with the Terry Donahue Pavilion, dedicated in 2013, and a statue unveiled in 2023.

NEED TO KNOW

Event: 14th Annual Terry Donahue Memorial California Showcase. When: Saturday, Feb. 20, 2027. Cost: Free; registration required for participants. Where: Great Park, 8000 Great Park Blvd., Irvine. For more, email CoachCheck@cashowcase.org or visit https://www.cashowcase.org/students.