Jason Cvercko, a three-a-day Red Bull drinker, did not need a wake-up call.
It was Wednesday, the first day college-football prospects could sign letters of intent. For Cvercko, the Hawaii football team’s recruiting coordinator, it was the culmination of months of texts, video reviews and evaluations. Cvercko likened the NCAA’s newly added signing period to a “second Christmas.”
It was 2:15 a.m.
Cvercko, the UH coaches and staff were ready for the Rainbow Warriors’ future to take shape.
3:51 a.m.
Head coach Nick Rolovich had a detailed plan for the day. In a conference room at the UH athletic complex, there are malasadas, two types of coco puffs, furikake party mix, ahi jerky, pistachio nuts and pitcher of orange juice. The fax machine is loaded with paper. Everything appears to be set before Jimmy Morimoto, the director of football operations, notices the absence of coffee. Soon after, graduate assistant Marc Moody arrives with the morning joe. “That’s the most important job,” Morimoto says.
4:15 a.m.
The coaches are rearranging the names on the grease board in Cvercko’s office. Fridge magnets for each of the expected commitments contains a player’s name, height, weight and current school. There are 25 slots on the board — the maximum number of recruits a school may sign each year. Because UH expects to sign 15 players this period, one of the slots is filled with a name plate for “Nicholas Rolovich.” No, Rolo is not making a comeback. The spot is reserved for a recruit of Rolovich’s choice.
4:27 a.m.
In the conference room, the coaches announce the commitments for the other Mountain West teams, similar to election officials calling out precinct results. Boise State signed all its Texas recruits! CSU got seven commits! The coaches search for tweets. There are updates on players the Warriors are no longer recruiting. Rolovich, who is wearing camouflage pants and mask, jokes: “It’s also national unfollow day.”
4:56 a.m.
In 2003, Rolovich and two friends found a large seashell while spearfishing off Kauai. One of the men took the shell, and buried it in his front yard, the first stage in the natural cleansing process. Last year, the friend presented that shell to Rolovich.
When Cverkco hands Rolovich’s a faxed copy of offensive lineman Ilm Manning’s letter of intent, Rolovich blows into the conch shell, signaling the Warriors are on the board.
6:29 a.m.
There is a lull after Amanda Paterson, the assistant athletic director in charge of compliance, validates the commitments of wideout Eric Rooks and quarterback Jeremy Moussa. No letter is official until Paterson verifies each document is filled correctly. She says the NCAA has voided letters for failing to mark the “a.m. box” on a letter. Rolovich wants to switch the video screen to ESPN. “Kill the music,” Rolovich says. Paterson agrees.
7 a.m.
Rolovich needs some fresh air. Actually, he needs to accompany his labradoodle, Dixie, on a walk. As he circles the lower campus, Rolovich points to the area where he used to hit golf balls, and to the warrior statue that is “disarmed” every night as part of a ROTC procedure. He also recalls Leon Schumaker, the late academic counselor who relished signing days. “I like it at dawn,” Rolovich says.
8 a.m.
There is excitement when 15 breakfast burritos are delivered for the coaches and staff. Rolovich’s credit-card hit is at three figures already.
8:23 a.m.
The distance from Cvercko’s third-floor office to ground-floor fax machine is 147 steps. But Cvercko, a former prep hurdler, sprint-glides to check on the arrival of defensive lineman Mason Mata‘afa’s commitment. The in-tray is empty as Cvercko double-checks the paper supply. He then sprints off to a backup fax machine in the neighboring Nagatani Academic Center.
Several minutes later, Cvercko has confirmation of Mata‘afa’s commitment. Rolovich exchanges a high-five with safeties coach Jacob Yoro, and a fist bump with Cvercko.
Rolovich then sounds the conch shell.
11:15 a.m.
The commitment total is up to 10 when Moody hands his iPhone 7 to Rolovich. Through the cracked screen — Moody dropped the phone a few days earlier — Rolovich watches a Facebook Live video of Saint Louis School’s signing ceremony. Quarterback Chevan Cordeiro and defensive back Kai Kaneshiro ink their letters.
11:20 a.m.
Rolovich is asked about Jonah Kahahawai-Welch, a Kamehameha defensive lineman who pulled back his commitment to Navy to sign with UH. “We always liked him,” Rolovich says, “and we never stopped recruiting him.”
11:50 a.m.
The coaches take a 1.5-mile drive for lunch. They stop at St. Louis Drive-in, which is across Waialae Avenue from where Cordeiro and Kaneshiro are students. As they pose for pictures under the drive-in sign, a car horn sounds and shakas are flashed. “It just seemed right,” Rolovich says of the eatery choice.
His lunch bill is $113.
1:30 p.m.
Rolovich is pleased with the 14-player class. A couple more recruits are expected to sign in the coming days. The rest of the commitments will come in February, the next signing period. Across the hall, Cvercko finishes his second Red Bull. The can’s tab is placed in a jarred filled to the brim with scores of tabs. On the jar, the hand-written label says: “Recruiting doesn’t sleeps.”
RAINBOW WARRIORS SIGNEES
Khoury Bethley LB 5-11 195 Don Lugo High (Chino Hills, Calif.)
Kamuela Borden Ath 6-4 235 Iolani School
Cedric Byrd WR 5-9 170 Long Beach (Calif.) City College
Chevan Cordeiro QB 6-1 180 Saint Louis School
Jonah Kahahawai-Welch LB/DL 6-2 225 Kamehameha Schools
Kai Kaneshiro DB 6-2 190 Saint Louis School
Jeffrey Keene DL 6-4 230 Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College
Jonah La’ulu Ath 6-5 245 Centennial High (Las Vegas)
Ilm Manning OL 6-4 250 Apollo High (Glendale, Ariz.)
Nick Mardner WR 6-5 188 Fr. Oakville, Ontario, Canada / Clarkson North HS
Mason Mata’afa DL 6-5 235 Orange Coast (Calif.) College
Jeremy Moussa QB 6-3 205 Eleanor Roosevelt High (Corona, Calif.)
Zach Ritner DL 6-3 240 Capistrano Valley (Calif.) High
Eric Rooks WR 6-3 210 The Taft School
Blessman Ta’ala DT 6-1 285 Faga’itua High (American Samoa)
