University of Hawaii football player JR Hensley is a “Family Guy.”
He actually is every lead character in the animated television series — Meg, Chris, Stewie, Brian …
“His imitation of Peter is my favorite,” quarterback Kyle Gallup said of Hensley, an offensive lineman. “He can imitate anyone on ‘Family Guy.’ He’s got a great sense of humor.”
Hensley also can impersonate teammates, coaches and staff members. His impressions of the previous coaching staff were knee-pad slappers at the team’s talent show two years ago.
“You pinpoint a couple things they do often and watch them,” Hensley said of his study technique. “When you’re with or around 120 guys all the time, you just pick up on all the little stuff that they do. Everybody has jokes.”
Asked about Hensley, coach Nick Rolovich smiled and dead-panned: “He’s not that funny. I hope he gets his degree. He’s not that good of a fighter, either.”
During Tuesday’s spring practice, Hensley was involved in a scuffle, which triggered adjoining fights among teammates. The scene appeared to be uncharacteristic of the jovial Hensley — maybe.
“He’s a dude you’ve got to love for his personality,” Gallup said. “He’ll fight for you. Not just offensively, but he’ll fight for the team, no matter what.”
That grittiness was displayed when Hensley, a second-year freshman in 2016, suffered high- and lateral-ankle sprains and a strained Achilles in last season’s fourth game. Hensley ignored the recommendation to rest, just as he ignored the do-not-pet warnings at a zoo when he was 11. (A scar is a reminder of the zebra’s bite on his back.) He did not miss a practice the rest of the regular season.
Hensley aggravated the ankle injury in the regular-season finale against Massachusetts. The break between that game and the Dec. 24 Hawaii Bowl enabled Hensley’s left ankle to mostly heal. On the morning of the bowl, Hensley was told he would start at right guard in place of injured Elijah Tupai. Regarding his ankle, Hensley recalled, “once the adrenaline took over, I couldn’t feel (discomfort) as much.”
Of that bowl, Hensley said: “It was a hell of an experience. Who can forget their first start?”
During the offseason, Hensley focuses on his second sports career: super fan. He grew up in a baseball household — his father, Michael, played in the St. Louis Cardinals’ system, and brother, Ty, is with the Tampa Bay Rays — and is a regular in the Les Murakami Stadium stands. He also can be found in the end-line section, facing the opposing team’s free-throw shooter, in the second half of UH basketball games.
“I’ll paint up,” Hensley said. “I’ll put stuff on. I’ll get crazy and loud. I know all the guys who are playing. They love it. I’ll yell at them when they’re shooting free throws. That’s the best thing you can do. You Google them and find out their bio.”
