Fabiculanan Will Be PA Announcer's Nightmare; Maybe Opposing QBs', Too
Kamren Fabiculanan hasn't played yet, but he might be one of the most interesting players on the University of Washington football roster.
First there's that multi-syllable name.
To public-address announcers everywhere, good luck in rattling it off without stumbling following a pass deflection or an interception by him.
Then there's that 6-foot-1, 186-pound frame.
Fabiculanan is extra lean and long, combining his extended reach with great speed to make him hard to throw on.
Finally, there's his ethnicity.
At a time when racial inroads are at the forefront of every-day discussion, Fabiculanan is one of three Asian-American players on scholarship for the Huskies, joined by senior center Luke Wattenberg and senior wide receiver Jordan Chin.
Admittedly, the Washington football program of the 1960s and 1970s was castigated over and over for its discriminatory practices regarding African American players. Today, with coach Jimmy Lake in charge and players such as Fabiculanan pulling on uniforms, it's one of college game's most diverse.
This is the 55th profile of a returning Washington football player, each of which can be found on the site by scrolling back. While the pandemic has interrupted and delayed team activities, Husky Maven/Sports Illustrated offers continuous coverage of the team.
Fabiculanan comes from Westlake High School in Camarillo, California, located halfway between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara.
He is described as extremely polite yet fiercely competitive, and highly analytical as a defensive back but with a smoldering intensity. He's also a video-game fanatic and a dedicated surfer.
Fabiculanan is circumspect about what he does as a defensive back.
"Playing corner we have a different type of swagger on the field," he told a recruiting analyst. "It's more competitive because you could play 50 good plays and no one will see you, but you mess up on one play and everyone will notice."
Fabiculanan was a four-star recruit who proved so appealing he drew 16 scholarship offers, among them Georgia, Nebraska, Vanderbilt and most of the Pac-12. He chose the Huskies over Stanford.
A proven playmaker at Westlake, he scored off an interception return, a fumble return and a blocked punt.
Fabiculanan steps into the UW's high-intensity cornerback competition. He didn't play at all as a true freshmen, but should make his debut whenever the pandemic permits the college football season to move forward. He's still probably a year away from receiving extended minutes, waiting for senior starters Keith Taylor and Elijah Molden to graduate.
Yet no matter what his role is in the immediate future, his long-term presence bodes well for Washington in many ways, though PA announcers may not be so welcoming.
SUMMARY: He hasn't played. He's untested. He's well regarded. With this cornerback, it's simply wait and see.
GRADE (1 to 5): Fabiculanan rates a 2.5, strictly because so little is known about him as a college player. He should be a plus for this team. Without even playing, he makes it unique.
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