Stop me if you’ve heard this one before.

A prominent quarterback falls out of favor at the college football powerhouse he was expected to lead to national championships.

He finds a new home in the Pacific Northwest, where no one is quite sure which version they’re getting.

The über-talented superstar?

Or the damaged goods?

A year ago those were the questions being asked about Oregon quarterback Bo Nix.

And right about now you’d be feeling just as silly for wondering the same about Oregon State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei.

The Clemson transfer was nearly perfect in his Oregon State debut. He threw for three touchdowns, rushed for two more and enjoyed the protection from the Beavers veteran offensive line so much that he quipped, “Could have made a sandwich back there.”

Is he taking orders? I’d love a BLT.

But don’t be surprised if Uiagalelei becomes the kind of player for Oregon State that Nix has been for the rival Ducks over the past year and counting.

He immediately gives the Beavers a more dynamic threat than they’ve had in years at the game’s most important position. And he looked comfortable immediately.

“I had fun today,” Uiagalelei said after the Beavers rocked San Jose State 42-17 in their opener.

How good are the Beavers? Good enough to win the final Pac-12 championship?

A lot of that may come down to Uiagalelei and just how much fun he is able to have over the next 13 weeks.

A year ago, he was the starter at Clemson when they opened the season against Georgia Tech at the 71,000-seat Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta.

San Jose State’s CEFCU Stadium might be about as far as Uiagalelei could have gotten from that stage while still being in big-time college football. The Spartans announced a crowd of 20,337 — their first sellout in two decades.

“Definitely a different environment,” Uiagalelei said.

But hasn’t that been the beauty of Uiagalelei’s landing in Corvallis? Isn’t that what he was looking for?

“He came to a place with a style of play, a locker room, that fit him,” Beavers coach Jonathan Smith said. “And the balance we’ve created on offense, a lot of that has contributed to his ability to throw it and get us to a good place.”

It wasn’t Uiagalelei’s numbers that got your attention on Sunday — not that anyone is complaining about 239 yards on 20-of-25 passing with no interceptions.

It was how effortless he made it look. Downright routine. Some of that was San Jose State, no question. It gets much tougher in the final march through the Pac-12, which went an unblemished 12-0 in Week 1 games.

But last week, the Spartans gave preseason Pac-12 favorite USC a game at Los Angeles’ Memorial Coliseum through three quarters. Uiagalelei and the Beavers took most of the drama out of it by halftime, when they carried a 21-3 lead into the break.

At 6-foot-5, Uiagalelei fills the pocket like an oak in a grove of aspen. A presence that was made all the more apparent with Oregon State’s offensive line holding off the Spartans’ defenders like mall security battening the doors on Black Friday.

That was on full display with 6:02 left in the third quarter when Uiagalelei had no fewer than five full seconds to let the play develop and rocket a pass to sophomore receiver Jeremiah Noga in the end zone.

“That was probably the longest I’ve ever been in the pocket,” Uiagalelei said.

OSU’s offense finally seemed to be cranked all the way up, fully revved. Up to that moment, the Beavers had enjoyed a workmanlike day, leaning heavily on Damien Martinez and short passes. Offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren had been content to not try to stretch the defense.

It was effective, but far from flashy.

But then the strength of Uiagalelei’s arm was on display.

If there was a game ball to give out for the Beavers, you’d probably give it to Martinez, with his 145 yards rushing and seven runs of 10 or more yards. Or a defense that held SJSU to three points through three quarters.

Or that offensive line, which gave Uiagalelei time to consider the question of Havarti or Swiss.

But if you’ve watched Oregon State in recent years, you know that they have found success while overcoming some shortcomings at quarterback. Chance Nolan overachieved before being replaced by Ben Gulbranson, who impressively won seven of eight games as the starter last season.

But neither of them had the talent or upside of Uiagalelei.

I don’t know if he will enjoy as dreamlike of a season with the Beavers as Nix did for much of his first season in Eugene. Or if we will see Oregon State launch a Heisman campaign before his time on campus is up.

But Uiagalelei already looks like he was fully worth the hype of his arrival. The kind of player who might just carry the Beavers to the top of the Pac-12.

And, in the process, could open up the most popular lunch spot in Corvallis.