Hurricanes’ Santiago Ready To Storm The Field

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Aaron Santiago (right) gets away from a Kailua defender.
Photo from ReplayImages LLC.

It didn’t take Kapolei long to establish itself as a producer of great quarterbacks with a pair of former stand-outs ready to compete for starting jobs at Division I schools in the fall.

The projected starter for the upcoming season, Aaron Santiago, doesn’t mind comparisons to his predecessors Kaipo-Noa KaheakuEnhada (Naval Academy) and Brad Padayao (Air Force Academy). As a 4.0 student in the classroom, he’s smart enough to understand that he’ll put his own signature to the Hurricane offense soon enough.

“That doesn’t bother me,“he said of following two of the state’s better quarterbacks.“I try to build my own reputation.”

Indeed, around the Kapolei program, Santiago is already well-known for his versatility as a slot back, return man and kicker. Last year, he also started three games at quarterback (filling in for the injured Padayao) and appeared in every game behind center. But this season, he’s finally No. 1 and will get the majority of repetitions in practice.

“This is my team and my time to shine,” said Santiago, who is 5-foot-9, 180 pounds.“I wasn’t really focused on the quarterback position last year - I was more concerned with playing slot back. I took it more serious toward the end of last year after coach (Darren Hernandez) told me I would be the starter next year, and I’m taking it a lot more serious now. I feel more like a leader. Everyone’s looking up to me.”

Santiago’s progress at the helm remains one of the Hurricanes’ priorities as they continue spring practice this week. Under the Oahu Interscholastic Association’s guidelines, the Hurricanes are allotted 14 days in which to conduct 10 practices. The 2006 Hurricanes’ public unveiling is set for 4 p.m. Saturday when they’ll play the school’s first-ever spring game in their new football stadium.

Kapolei’s spring drills got off to an exhausting start on May 22, according to Santiago, who recently completed his baseball season with the Hurricanes.

“It’s going to get harder and harder,” he said of practice. “The second day was a lot harder than the first day. But everyone’s working hard, trying to better themselves. We all know each other well. We’ve bonded, and we’re very close.”

THE SANTIAGO FUN FILE

Full Name: Aaron Joseph Santiago

Favorite Food: “Any chicken katsu”

Favorite Television Show: CSI

Favorite Musical Group:“I like local music.”

Favorite Motion Picture: The Longest Yard

Favorite Entertainer: Chris Rock

In 10 Years I Will Be: “Out of college with a great job.”

The Hurricanes run the spread option offense, which is perhaps ideally suited to Santiago, who has sprinter’s speed to go with a strong arm. Under the guidance of quarterbacks coach (and offensive coordinator) Jon Hamada, Santiago has been focusing in on the Hurricanes’passing game in the first few days of spring drills, although one of Kapolei’s offensive strengths is its ability to be unpredictable.

“In our offense, we can run a lot of plays from the same formation. A team doesn’t know what we’re going to run. My speed and my ability to avoid tackles is my strength. Right now, I’m trying to get my reads (in the passing game) down.”

Like his older brother Jon, a stellar wide receiver for the Hurricanes the past two years who will attend the Air Force Academy on a football scholarship in the fall, Aaron Santiago, is being heavily recruited by Division I colleges. He will decide after the upcoming season which schools he’ll select as the five he is allowed to officially visit under NCAA rules. He noted that his final choice will have more to do with academics than with football.

“I’m looking at engineering, or something in that field, right now,” Aaron said.

It is Jon who remains his mentor. Theirs has always been a relationship free of sibling rivalry. Since the days of playing on their front lawn, the pair have always been close.

“I was always with him when I was growing up; I try to meet his standards,” Aaron said of brother Jon. “I used to play with him and his friends - the older kids - and it was kind of intimidating at first. After I got the hang of football, I began to love it. I was never forced into playing football. It was just something I wanted to try, and it (a love for football) developed from there.”