Conwell Joins Home Team -- Husband, Father, Football Player And Full-Time Student, Husky Tight End Ernie Conwell Has Grown And Changed In Ways That Seemed Unlikely Only A Few Months Ago. ''It's A Better Life, '' The Former Kentwood High Standout Says.

KENT - Life just keeps getting better for Ernie Conwell, and he hopes that will translate into his best season of football this fall for the University of Washington.

It's been a busy summer for Conwell, a 1991 graduate of Kentwood High School. A summer of change and growth. Last season, his roommate was UW quarterback Damon Huard. Now he shares a Kent home with his new wife, Andrea, and their 2 1/2-year-old daughter, Devon.

"Definitely, it's a better life," Conwell said.

Full-load in fall

A busy one, too. Conwell, the Huskies' No. 2 tight end behind Mark Bruener, is taking a full load of classes, 18 credits. That will allow him to graduate this fall, two quarters ahead of schedule, with a degree in sociology. Then he will re-apply at the UW to pursue a second degree, probably in speech communications or business, and stick around for his senior season.

In addition to being a husband, father and full-time student, Conwell (6 feet 2, 240 pounds) lifts weights four days a week and runs four days a week, preparing for the upcoming season. The first day of turnouts is just Aug. 12.

"I'm hoping this will be my biggest year of improvement," he said. "Last year was a good year of improvement. Rick Mallory (new tight-end coach) helped out a lot. It's just a matter of getting more confident. I know I can play at this level. I'm a lot more confident in my abilities."

After catching just three passes for 40 yards his freshman season, Conwell had nine receptions for 194 yards (a 21.6-yard average) and one touchdown, while playing in 10 of Washington's 11 games (he missed the San Jose game with a sprained ankle). The 1994 media guide says he "might be the best non-starting tight end in the nation."

Conwell actually is listed as a starter at the "U" tight end. Bruener starts at the "Y" tight end, and Conwell hopes the Huskies will use the two tight end formation often.

"Of course, I'm hoping I'll be in as much as possible," he said. "I'd love to play every snap." New family roles

Conwell especially loves his new role as husband and full-time father, although not so long ago it seemed unlikely this family would be together.

At Kentwood, Ernie and Andrea appeared to be the ideal couple in the spring of 1991. He was the football hero. She was the cheerleader. They had been going out since Ernie was in ninth grade and Andrea in eighth.

Then in April, Andrea discovered she was pregnant. They decided marriage wasn't the answer.

They split up. Andrea gave birth to Devon Dec. 2, 1991, her senior year at Kentwood. Ernie, redshirting at the UW, provided financial support, with the help of his family and a summer job, but showed no interest in meeting his daughter.

After breaking up with Andrea, Ernie began to take a hard look at himself and didn't really like what he saw. He had always considered himself a Christian, but realized much of his behavior wasn't very Christian-like. He seemed like the All-American boy - good looking, good athlete, good student. A clean-cut kid. The fact that he had missed his sophomore year of football because he was caught at a preseason beer party seemed to be a fluke. A good kid making one bad decision. Con artist Conwell

But Conwell was a good con artist. He now admits he partied regularly in high school. Even Andrea was fooled.

"He was like two different people," she said.

At the end of his senior year, fresh from the breakup with Andrea, Conwell committed himself to becoming a true Christian.

Eventually, Conwell was ready to meet his daughter. When Devon was 11 months old, Ernie called Andrea and asked to see his little girl.

"I'd always wanted to be involved in her life," he said. "I just felt it was a good time for me. She was old enough to start a relationship with me."

As hard as it was for Andrea, still hurt and angry, she couldn't say no.

"I lost my dad when I was real young (he was killed by a drunk driver when she was 7) and he was the most important person to me," Andrea said. "I wasn't going to take that (meeting her father) away from her."

The visits continued and by July of 1993 Ernie and Andrea were back together again. He proposed on Valentine's Day.

Devon is Ernie's biggest fan and will be a regular at Husky games this fall.

"She's daddy's girl," Andrea said. "She talks about him all the time. She can't wait for him to get home."

And Ernie can't wait to get there.