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Kanawai Noa: Cal's Best Kept Secret

There are three number nines on Cal’s roster this fall. Two of them, kicker Matt Anderson and defensive tackle James Looney, are multi-year starters with national award consideration. The third just may be the best kept secret on Cal’s offense. That’s receiver Kanawai Noa.

Part of the reason why he isn't widely known is because of who Noa is, a calm, quiet receiver. Part of it is who he’s been surrounded by. That hasn't kept him from working his way into contention for a starting job, despite being surrounded by a plethora of talent at the wide receiver spot.

“Ever since my sophomore year (of high school),” high school teammate Semisi Uluave said,“I always joked around him being my favorite athlete in the world, but it’s true. What I see in him is a dog mentality, he fights to the very end of the whistle. He fights through adversity, through the trials that’ve been thrown to him.”

Those trials included coming into an offense that included seven wideouts who would make NFL rosters or practice squads and playing as a true freshman. Noa was the only member of a five receiver freshman class to do so, but before that, even getting to Berkeley immediately wasn’t guaranteed.

“He had a very awkward beginning here, where they didn’t think he was going to come in and start right away, they thought he should greyshirt,” Uluave said, “but he came in and he proved himself. He threw himself in the fire and he didn’t expect anyone to help him.”

Noa worked his way into the wideout rotation, and ended up having a modest 2015 season, finishing the year with 7 receptions for 76 yards. It was one that set him up for a bigger 2016, where he earned his first start against Texas. The hopes of a bigger year were dashed with a knee injury that forced him into a redshirt, after only 3 catches for 34 yards in three games. Then the coaching change happened, providing a fresh start for everyone on the roster, and after some rehabbing, Noa was back.

"It’s like a rebirth in a way," Noa said back in April, "it’s good to be out here, play some football instead of doing rehab."

The rebirth has been apparent, as Noa became one of the most consistent receivers during the spring, capping it with a sterling performance in the spring game, with eight receptions for 112 yards. Working mostly from the slot, Noa got open, made plays in traffic and in third down situations, enough to catch the eye of head coach Justin Wilcox.

"Kanawai did a lot in spring," Wilcox said, "and what I remember with him, obviously he was a very competitive guy, he’s not the biggest, but what I remember from Kanawai in spring is every time we had a two minute situation or a 3rd down and long, he seemed to come up with a play, and that’s kinda his makeup, his personality."

With that, Noa ended up at the top of the depth chart released after the spring, in a competition with Jordan Duncan and Melquise Stovall for one of the spots. He's continuing to push, playing with the first team for the majority of fall camp so far and becoming a reliable target for a rotating set of quarterbacks.

A big thing the staff has stressed during fall camp has been recall from the spring, and Noa has had that recall. During the first few open practices, Noa has shown what stood out about him from his high school career, a smoothness in his route running. Knowing where to sit in the zone. Getting open in 3rd down situations. The little nuances of playing wide receiver in Beau Baldwin's offense are coming around.

"He’s just one of those savvy guys, again he understands the game, he understands how to get open," Baldwin said, "He works at it in terms of understanding the offense and the little things, the little intricacies within it, and especially with the slot position, there’s a lot of different things within that position, it’s not as cut and dry with some of the routes, it’s a little more feel at times. He has a natural feel to that, but again he works at it."

A play from last Wednesday's practice showed the savvy Noa has, as he came from the slot to get open over the middle, in a hole between the inside backers and the safeties, as QB Chase Forrest stepped up and hit him for a 23 yard gain in a 3rd downs situation. He has been reticent about taking the credit for plays like this.

"I mean the QBs are doing a great job, each of them," Noa said, "I mean they’re taking their read and they’re finding the man open."

Even if he's not willing to take the praise, his position coach, Nick Edwards will still give it to him.

"Kanawai’s been doing an awesome job," Edwards said, "he’s grown every single day of practice, the amount of information he’s learning and applying on the field is phenomenal. He’s one of those guys that can take what you say and implement it in his game right away, so his growth has been awesome."

That growth has given the coaching staff a level of trust in Noa, as in addition to potentially returning punts this year, he's seen as a guy they want out there in 3rd down situations.

"He’s tough, he is," Baldwin said, "He’s one of the quietest guys out here, but in my mind, not just physical toughness, because he has that too, but mental toughness too. I mean when it’s 3rd and 7 and the ball goes towards him in traffic, because of what I’ve seen, not because of anything he’s said, because of what I’ve seen I trust that he’s gonna make a play."

It's shown early, but his playmaking ability will be a little more on display Saturday, as the Bears will have more of a scrimmage setting during the open practice. Noa, who noted last week that his knee was back to 100%, will be able to show his calmness in clutch situations. Why has he succeeded in these situations so far? Uluave has an apt description.

"This guy, I don’t know how he can do it, he’s like an eagle, not too high, not too low, just right."

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