Warriors will get receiver help from afar
Sep. 8—It took a circuitous route for the University of Hawaii football team to find potential help at the end of passing routes.
It took a circuitous route for the University of Hawaii football team to find potential help at the end of passing routes.
The Rainbow Warriors' hope is wideout Nicholas Cenacle will be ready for action for Saturday's road game against fourth-ranked Michigan.
At 6 feet 3 and 190 pounds, Cenacle projects as a lengthy and speedy option for an offense that has produced only five completions of 20-plus yards and no touchdown receptions in the first two games. Cenacle, who grew up in Montreal, was rated as Canada's No. 1 receiver prospect.
Receivers coach Jared Ursua was UH's initial point recruiter. Cenacle's commitment was only the first step. He had to earn a diploma from Vanier College. In Quebec's academic system, high school graduates may attend a CEGEP, a two-year bridge program that is equivalent to a college-prep academy. After completing work at Vanier, he needed to gain admission into UH in order to apply for a student visa. Cenacle was not cleared to travel to Hawaii until the week ahead of the Aug. 27 opener against Vanderbilt.
While the Warriors were in preseason training camp, Cenacle was studying the plays and going through his own drills in Canada. Since joining the Warriors, he has attended video and playbook-studying sessions every day, as well as catching scores of passes from the JUGS machine after practices. Head coach Timmy Chang has praised Cenacle's pass-catching skills.
Cenacle, who has a football in his locker, often runs routes with teammates or friends. "My room has a football, " Cenacle said. "I throw it up and catch it while I'm in bed. I count how many catches I have. It gives me confidence with my hands."
His parents are Haitian. His mother was born in Ontario, but attended high school in Haiti. His father was reared in Haiti. Cenacle said he was born in Ontario, then moved to Montreal when he was 4. He spoke French-creole at home, but only English with friends.
Although he dabbled with outdoor hockey, Cenacle's preference was football. Canada's 110-by-65-yard fields are larger than American football fields (100 by 53 ). Slotbacks are allowed up to a 15-yard running start to the line of scrimmage before the snap. Cenacle played receiver and defensive back for Vanier, which won the CEGEP Division I championship.
Cenacle has made an easy adjustment to Hawaii's weather and cuisine.
"I love big sweaters, layered (clothing ), and everything baggy, " he said. "Baggy jeans, baggy sweaters. Before I got out here, I had to buy a bunch of shirts and shorts. I'm not going to complain about the weather. In Montreal, it gets freezing cold in the winter. I'm glad I don't have to live through that anymore."
He said he misses poutine, a dish of french fries and cheese curd topped with brown gravy. "Every single restaurant in Montreal has that, " he said. "It's the go-to food."
He was pleasantly surprised to learn white rice is a Hawaii staple.
"I'm Haitian, " he said, "my family is from the islands. I'm used to eating rice. But I didn't know Hawaii was so big on rice. I've been seeing it every single dish we've had with the team meals."
