After a week of contemplation and soul searching, Darnell Arceneaux looked to the future.

His decision to return to coach football at Saint Louis, where he coached in 2003, had as much to do with family as anything. The increase in salary that Saint Louis offered was too much to refuse.

“;I would never have left Mililani unless I could really improve the security of my family,”; he said. “;We've got three children: Chloe is a sophomore, Cole is 10 and we just had a baby girl, El, who's five months old. Furloughs this year kind of hurt my wife and me (both teachers). We both took a pay cut. And they want us to work three extra days for free.”;

Arceneaux's teaching position at Saint Louis has not been determined yet. The decision came after he consulted with family, friends, coaches, and his bosses, Mililani principal Dr. John Brummel and athletic director Glenn Nitta.

“;Dr. Brummel and Glenn Nitta and my coaching staff, I'm getting these opportunities now because of these people,”; Arceneaux said.

The former University of Utah and Hawaiian Islanders (semi-pro) quarterback taught and coached at Mililani since '07. Saint Louis first approached him about returning a few weeks ago, but he initially declined.

“;A lot of questions were answered,”; Arceneaux said. “;I prayed about it and put everything in perspective, it felt right and fits. The hardest thing is leaving my players and coaches. They're like my family. Mililani and Saint Louis are like two families.”;

Defensive coordinator Rod York is the next head coach at Mililani, and the staff is expected to remain intact.

“;Every coach has volunteered to stay. A lot of them live in Mililani and have been there for a few years,”; York said. “;The thing about Darnell, business-wise, he had to leave. But emotionally, he's still at Mililani because of the kids, and mostly because of the to-be seniors who were ninth-graders when he got here. He's still a Trojan with us.”;

Arceneaux will sign the final paperwork tomorrow at Saint Louis. He feels secure with the direction of the school, now led by president Walter Kirimitsu and principal Pat Hamamoto.

“;I was trying to make the right decision. I didn't want to rush into anything. I had a lot of questions that needed to be answered, a commitment from the school. Pat and Ed (athletic director Paola) did a great job of answering all my questions and gave me support. The loyalty and commitment are going to be there,”; he said.

He arrives at Kalaepohaku as a storied former Crusader quarterback and coach who guided the program to the 2003 state final in his previous go-round.

“;The No. 1 challenge is getting a coaching staff together, just getting on the ball without wasting too much time,”; Arceneaux said, noting that he doesn't plan to bring his former assistant coaches over from Mililani and he will also be the offensive coordinator.

“;We'll go five wide, run some option, some two-backs, some tight end, I formation—make defenses really have to do their homework and utilize all the talent,”; he said. “;At Mililani, if you did your job in the system, you played. You didn't have to be the fastest, tallest or quickest.”;

Saint Louis has been through a gauntlet of challenges in recent months, hiring a new athletic director and opening the football coach position. Former quarterback and current 'Iolani offensive coordinator Joel Lane turned down an offer. So did former head coach Delbert Tengan. UH assistant coach Ron Lee, who masterminded Kaiser to a Prep Bowl championship three decades ago, stayed put, as well.

Arceneaux replaces John Hao, another former Crusaders quarterback. Hao led the program to a 15-6 record in two seasons.