By: Annaliese Gumboc
At just 11-years-old, Titan Lacaden received a scholarship offer from Nick Rolovich and a spot on Hawaii’s football team. Six years later, he has finally committed to the Rainbow Warriors.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to play at the University of Hawai’i and play in front of my family and represent the state,” Lacaden said on ESPN Honolulu’s Let’s Talk Sports Show. “God blessed me with the opportunity to stay at home and doors like this, they don’t come around often.”
UH’s offer made headlines in 2017, when Lacaden was just a young slot receiver in middle school. “Is he on track to becoming the next big SUPERSTAR?” One sports docu-series asked of the 5th grader.
Now a rising junior, Lacaden is a force to be reckoned with and has been a crucial weapon for Saint Louis’ football team, leading the Crusaders with 833 receiving yards this past season. With his commitment, UH secures a promising, local talent for head coach Timmy Chang’s growing offense.
Lacaden is excited to be a part of Chang’s vision. “He speaks about the Braddahood and loyalty and us being as one, and that’s something big for me and my family,” Lacaden said of the second-year head coach. “Loyalty is huge.”
Loyalty to his people and pride in his home are obvious factors in Lacaden’s decision to stay home. “Man, it’s a special place, it’s paradise,” he said. “But we got some athletes, don’t let the coconut trees and the palm trees fool you.”
The star receiver wants to show the nation what a group of local boys can do. “No matter the stars, the size, the speed that our opponents can have. Hawai’i football we got the best athletes, the best players, and you know we can do something special,” he said.
Lacaden has big dreams for local football. He believes Chang is revolutionizing the ‘Bows, and is eager to help. “There’s a movement, there’s a change coming to Hawaii football and that’s something that I want to be a part of,” Lacaden said. “I want to be an advocate for local boys and just stay at home and represent Hawai’i football.”
But for now, the Crusader has two more years of high school to worry about. Saint Louis went 4-5 overall last year, falling to Punahou in the ILH title game. “I felt like we were complacent and we slipped up, but we’re hungry this year and we’ve got great leaders,” Lacaden said. “We’ve been working hard this off-season, and we’re just ready to play.”
With two years remaining before Lacaden graduates, one has to wonder if the UH offer was premature. A lot can change in two years, especially in football.
Yet in the six years since he was first approached by UH, Lacaden has remained a college-caliber talent. He’s stayed on track so far—only time will tell if he lives up to the hype.