Arceneaux to lead Saints

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

•	DARNELL ARCENEAUX AGE: 25 PREP COACHING EXPERIENCE: None PLAYING CAREER: Saint Louis School 1993-95; Utah, 1997-2000 HIGHLIGHTS: Led Saint Louis to three consecutive O'ahu Prep Bowl titles in 1993-95; named Advertiser's All-State Offensive Player of the Year in 1995 FUN FACT: Stepson of one of Pointer Sisters (Anita Pointer)

Arceneaux, 25, surprisingly was named Saint Louis' new football coach yesterday after a two-month search that generated widespread speculation, intrigue and concern.

He was not one of 12 applicants who vied for the job last month, and his hiring came just hours after the leading candidate — former Waiakea coach Tim Lino — could not reach an agreement yesterday morning with school president Father Allen DeLong about a full-time faculty or staff position to go along with the football offer.

Lino is a school principal in Kealakekua, Kona, and there was no on-campus job that DeLong could offer that was similar in salary range to Lino's current position. Lino, 43, and his wife have five kids.

Arceneaux, who has a young son, currently works for Hawai'i Sports Network's Athletic Prep Academy helping high school athletes find college opportunities and is a quarterback for the Hawaiian Islanders of arenafootball2. He said Saint Louis "is still working" on getting him an on-campus job in its physical education or religion department.

Arceneaux was a standout quarterback at the University of Utah and earned a bachelor's degree in sociology. The Islanders' regular season ends July 27, and he said this is his final year as a player.

"I'm glad; I just thank the Lord for this opportunity and am grateful to have things pay off for me," Arceneaux said. "(Saint Louis) is a high-profile job, but it's just like the challenge of being the quarterback, and my whole life has been about challenges."

Arceneaux said outgoing Saint Louis athletic director Cal Lee — his high school and Islanders coach — approached him two weeks ago about the possibility of taking over the Crusaders' football program. Arceneaux, who has no high school coaching experience, said until then he was just an observer to the situation that started when Delbert Tengan resigned after one season as head coach on April 22.

"I was just reading the newspaper like everybody else," Arceneaux said.

John Hao, another former Saint Louis quarterback, was approached about the job a week earlier but turned down the opportunity. Lino then was offered the job on June 17, but his reply was delayed while the school went through "negotiations."

Lino, who was on the Mainland last week, returned yesterday morning to meet with DeLong but the two could not reach agreement on an offer. Afterward, Arceneaux met with DeLong and Lee and was formally offered the coaching job.

"It's the right opportunity at the right time," Arceneaux said. "I've always been all about timing."

Arceneaux burst upon the Hawai'i football scene in the second half of the 1993 O'ahu Prep Bowl, when he came off the bench to rally the Crusaders to a 37-22 victory over Kahuku before 21,114 fans at Aloha Stadium.

Two years later, Arceneaux again led Saint Louis to a victory over Kahuku in the Prep Bowl, this time in a 27-26 thriller before a crowd of 29,129. Arceneaux then went on to star at Utah, where his scrambling and playmaking abilities captured the imagination of the Salt Lake City media and fans.

Arceneaux played briefly in the Canadian Football League before returning in 2002 to become the Islanders' quarterback. He has conducted a popular "combine" for high school prospects the past two years.

"I've been around a lot of great coaches at all levels, including coach Lee, Ron McBride (at Utah), even Mouse Davis (with the Islanders)," Arceneaux said. "And when you're the quarterback, you have to be a coach on the field. It's just that now I won't be able to do things physically to help — I have to do it from the sidelines."

Arceneaux said he plans to approach members of Tengan's staff to gauge their interest in coming back. Practice for the summer pass league starts July 1, and Arceneaux said the Crusaders will have a team ready.

He said that since he plans on basically running the same system Saint Louis has had in place the past 20 years, the transition shouldn't be too difficult.

"Nothing's broke with the system, so I'm not going to change it much," Arceneaux said.

Lee could not be reached for comment, but DeLong said in a statement issued through school marketing/public relations director Rebecca Fernandes that Arceneaux "was very professional and seemed to understand the school's philosophy."

DeLong added that he "trusts Cal Lee" in his recommendation of Arceneaux.

For his part, Arceneaux said he takes that trust seriously.

"That's what means the most to me — giving back to my alma mater," he said.