Orange is the new color of the islands, if the Syracuse football coaching staff has its way.
With former Hawaii offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh entrenched in ‘Cuse, Kamehameha junior Austyn Kauhi is the latest prospect to get an opportunity. Kauhi announced the offer on Thursday. This is his third scholarship offer. The 6-foot-5, 260-pound right tackle also has offers from Hawaii and Navy.
“It’s different and interesting,” Kauhi said of Syracuse, which is located in central New York State. “I talked to them a little bit before with Coach Blair (Cavanaugh) and Coach Mike. I like their facilities. Coach Mike used to coach Coach Abu (Ma‘afala of Kamehameha)."
Ma‘afala was on the other side of the O-line back in those years when Cavanaugh ran a tight ship at Manoa.
"Coach Cav and I have a great relationship," Ma‘afala recalled. "He actually tried to convince me to play O-line. I should've listened. He actually mentioned that his son, Blair, showed him Austyn. As we talked, the perfect comparison we made was Dane Uperesa. They are very similar players, and Cav loved Dane. Long and athletic."
Last month, Syracuse gave made a preferred walk-on offer to Saint Louis senior slotback Isaac Silva. Saint Louis junior offensive lineman Kalan Ellis also received an offer from the Orange this week. Former Hawaii linebacker Dino Babers is entering his fifth season as Orange head coach. Syracuse was 5-7 last year, finishing 2-6 (sixth place) in the seven-team Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The offers aren’t going to stop because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Big 12 and Pac 12 programs reached out to Kauhi on Friday.
“Yesterday, I started texting with coach Mike (Tuiasosopo) from Kansas State. The O-line coach from Cal reached me on Twitter,” said Kauhi, who doesn’t have a specific conference or dream school in mind anymore. “I always wanted to go to Oregon when I was young. I wasn’t into football, but I liked how they looked.”
Kauhi is a three-year veteran of the Brian Derby Camp. He is also a shot putter and discus thrower. With spring sports on hold during the lockdown, Kauhi is getting reps in at his weight rack in the home garage. Getting the work in is a great escape, but Kauhi and many student-athletes are seeing their plans upended.
“I was hoping to get up to certain college camps to get more exposure,” he said.
Kauhi was also one of the many juniors who had prepared to take the SAT a week after spring break, but that’s when the world changed. On a sunny Saturday morning, he and brother Anstyn, a defensive back at Damien, headed to the North Shore. A reprieve from the new reality, going from one solitary place to another solitary place.
“We’re fishing. I don’t really fish, but my uncle does. I just kick back. He’s throwing net right now,” Kauhi said. “My job is to eat the fish.”
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