University of Hawaii wide receivers coach Jared Ursua likes to joke that Spencer Curtis is not bad for a player that graduated from high school in the 1990s.
Curtis, a 25-year-old who graduated from Jordan High School in 2017, takes the friendly barb in stride.
All the latest sports news from Hawaii's sports station
Jokes aside, Ursua places heavy value on the wealth of experience and game reps Curtis brings to the team. Curtis, who officially joined the team less than 10 days before the start of fall camp, started all 11 games he appeared in for Nevada in 2023, hauling in 30 receptions for 373 yards and a touchdown.
Curtis' late arrival came as he was finishing up his degree with Nevada, but he was on the practice field in time for the start of fall camp. Hawaii is his fourth Division I school. After starting out his career at Weber State, he joined Oregon in 2020 following a two-year mission. Following two years each at Oregon and Nevada, he chose Hawaii for his last year of college ball.
“Joining this team has been an awesome process. I think there’s a big culture here," Curtis told KHON2.com. "Honestly, it’s like one of the coolest cultures I’ve been a part of. Honestly, I love it. The guys welcomed me and it’s been really fun to get to know people, get to know the team, just be part of a great brotherhood.
“When I went into the portal, I wanted to come here. It’s just been a long process because I’ve had to graduate. Having to go to school and having to get my degree has been a long process but it’s been awesome to get it. I’ve always wanted to come here. I love the offense that we have. Honestly, it was a big selling point for me and I’m excited for it. I’m excited for the team and the offense and for the defense, too.”
Given all of his stops and the ever-changing nature of college football, Curtis entered camp with a built-in familiarity with multiple Hawaii coaches. His receivers coach at Nevada, Anthony Arceneaux, is now UH's running back coach. He also goes back with Ursua, who recruited him in high school while he was at Southern Utah.
"He’s been around a little bit," Ursua said of Curtis. "Being in that journey, he’s been around a lot of different things. He’s really easy to talk to about the game because he’s seen so many different ways the game’s been taught. The great thing is he’s already got tools. Some guys like him and Dekel (Crowdus) who have come in, they’ve got excellent tools to be able to help us and we just gotta help them pick it up by getting them the reps they need.”
As for his head coach Timmy Chang, Curtis says he arrived in Reno right after Chang departed prior to the 2022 season. The two are now connected, with Curtis even donning the same jersey number, 14, that Chang wore during his days as a record-setting quarterback.
“I’m going to be honest, I didn’t know about that until I got it and I’m very grateful for the opportunity to wear it," Curtis said. "I know it means a lot to this community and to coach Chang and to I just hope I can live up to the number and do my best to represent it and honestly it’s a great experience to be able to wear it.”