If you said Hawaii, you are right.

Of the 14 out-of-state players on Cal's roster, three are from Hawaii. That represents a concerted effort made by coach Jeff Tedford to target an area rich in football talent.

That pipeline had better stay busy in the future if Tedford expects to make Hawaii a regular, successful stop on his recruiting trail.

"My first year here, I felt like I was by myself," said senior defensive end Abu Ma'afala, who sat out the 2004 season after transferring from the University of Hawaii. "Now Mika Kane and Tyson Alualu have come and that has been good.

"I can talk pidgin with them and be normal. People aren't making fun of the things I say."

Substantial cultural differences make Cal's Hawaii connection yearn for home.

"There are times when you feel like putting all your money in and flying home," said Kane, a sophomore defensive tackle. "I miss my friends and family, and especially my grandma, so much."

Following a practice this week at Memorial Stadium, Ma'afala, Kane and Alualu, a freshman defensive tackle, talked about the things they miss from their home.

"Driving's so different here," said Kane, a reserve who will have a good shot at starting in 2007. "At home, people will let you go by."

"I miss cake noodles and meat jun," Ma'afala said of some of his culinary favorites.

"And garlic chicken," Alualu said. "It's just not the same here. And Zippy's fried chicken."

Kane said he can't find decent poi or poke.

Friday nights take a decidedly different flavor at Cal than in Hawaii. Alualu, who has recorded 10 tackles this season, said he always spent Friday nights in prayer meetings back home, just chilling. His time commitment with school and football has kept him from seeking out a similar church environment here.

They talk with each other about the comforts of home, and it seems to help.

"We talk about being homesick," said Ma'afala, who has 12 tackles. "I can relate to these guys better."

Tedford understands that it can be tough being so far away from home, but he said it's basically a universal problem.

"All the players are isolated, whether they are from Southern California or Sacramento, wherever," Tedford said. "This is a diverse team."

That diversity is evident by entering Cal's locker room.

"The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of the guys from Hawaii is that we are listening to rap or R&B and all of a sudden you hear this island music," said Cal linebacker Desmond Bishop.

Ma'afala said that although he enjoys the "island" music, he's not the one playing it. He said Cal defensive end Nu'u Tafisi, a Samoan native until the age of 14 when he moved to Utah, is the guy who takes over the sound system.

But whoever is playing the music, Cal's players don't seem to mind learning about different cultures.

"They are the friendliest people I know," said linebacker Worrell Williams said of his Hawaii teammates. "They are caring, giving people. They will break their neck for you and they are very close. Marshawn (Lynch) always says that family comes first. That is very evident with them."

"When team pictures come around and you see guys showing up in flip flops, that's pretty cool," said quarterback Nate Longshore.

Kane said some of his teammates' perceptions can be annoying.

"People think Hawaii is just paradise and hula skirts," he said. "They ask, 'Do you live in a grass hut?' No. `Do you go to the beach every day?' No. `Do you wear a grass skirt?' No."

Even so, Kane, Alualu and Ma'afala said that coming to Cal has been a great learning experience.

"I felt I needed to get away so I could grow up," Ma'afala said. "It would have been easy to stay in Hawaii where I was comfortable. I had to stand on my own two feet. I think it has helped to make me the man I am today."

"I wanted to get off the rock," Kane said. "I wanted to experience something different. I was too comfortable at home and I was getting super heavy, eating all the time."

Tedford is just glad that they came.