The tattoo, on his chest, right arm and part of his back, represents things "significant to what I love doing."

That includes symbols for fishing, hunting, animals, the ocean, God's blessing, his mother, father, and six brothers and sisters. On the back of his right triceps there is a picture of five stones that represents the "solid foundation of his family."

It also includes a symbol for football, his passion.

The junior is excited to show it off to a national audience when the Volunteers, ranked No. 14 in the Associated Press poll, open their season Sunday against UNLV on ESPN2 at 2 p.m. Hawai'i time.

"When I play football, that's what I wanted it to represent, the Hawaiian culture," said Mahelona, who is 75 to 80 percent Hawaiian.

He got the tattoo this summer when he was able to return home for a week between summer school sessions and training with the team. His cousin, Lee Peneku'u, did it in 12 hours while Mahelona was on O'ahu. Mahelona then jumped on a plane to his home in Kailua, Kona.

"I ain't going to lie, it was very irritating," he said of dealing with the tattoo while sitting on a plane.

Even more irritating was the fact that he couldn't go into the ocean while waiting for the tattoo to heal.

Instead, Mahelona "just enjoyed my family and did the things I can't do up here," he said in a phone call from Knoxville, Tenn.

Mahelona, a 2000 graduate of Kealakehe, is one of 48 Hawai'i football players on rosters on Division I Mainland programs. He is expected to start against the Rebels, according to defensive line coach Dan Brooks.

"He's fit in really well," Brooks said. "He's popular with the football team. My wife loves him; he comes to the house and he's very courteous."

Mahelona, who is 6 feet 1 and 300 pounds, transferred from Orange Coast Junior College (Calif.) in January. He was an all-conference selection as a freshman, then broke his foot early in his sophomore season. Tennessee tried to get a medical redshirt year for him, but failed.

But what was a success was Mahelona's decision to join the Volunteers a semester early, giving him an opportunity to learn the team's plays and improve on his playing style.

"January gives them a chance to get comfortable," Brooks said. "I don't think he would be near as far along. Now, in the fall, we feel like he is an impact player."

In the spring, Mahelona also learned how to play right and left tackle, after being strictly a left tackle previously, crediting Brooks with his progress.

"When (fall) camp started, I was on the ball," Mahelona said. "I wasn't thinking so much, I was just playing."

The spring also eased the transition for Mahelona as the Volunteers prepared for the loss of J.T. Mapu, a 2002 Kahuku graduate, to a two-year mission for the Mormon Church.

"This guy (Mahelona) stepped right into his spot," Brooks said. "The thing I like about both of them is that they lay it on the line. They put their heart and soul into what they do."

Mahelona is eagerly awaiting his first game, although he said Brooks is using Mahelona's inexperience at the Division I level as a source of constant jokes.

"I kid him all the time about how he's going to react to being out in front of 108,000," Brooks said.

"He is always telling me I'm going to need two pairs of pants," Mahelona said.

A televised game brings added pressure, and Mahelona said family and friends on O'ahu, the Big Island and even Las Vegas will be watching.

"I'm sure I'm going to be nervous and excited, but I want to put myself on the map as one of the nation's top defensive tackles," he said.

Senior linebacker Kevin Burnett, a second-team all-Southeastern Conference selection and team captain, gave him some sound advice.

"He was telling me that once you step on the field, it is natural instinct," Mahelona said. "Once he got his first snap, it was natural for him. I'm hoping it is going to be like that for me, and I think it is."