After three years in the shadows, Hawai'i football player Aaron Kia has emerged on the front line.

"I'm happy to step up," said Kia, who has been the No. 1 left tackle during this week's spring-training practices. "I have to keep working hard and not give up."

Keith AhSoon, last year's top left tackle, is practicing at left guard. The battle between left tackles Ray Hisatake and Laupepa Letuli has not initiated. Letuli has not been at full strength because of a hamstring problem.

That opened the way for Kia, who actually was the No. 2 left tackle last season.

The position is vital because UH's top three quarterbacks are right-handers.

"I'm protecting the blind side," Kia said.

The orientation period has been short. The first full-gear practice was Monday. That day, Kia worked against speed-rushers John Fonoti and David Veikune.

Fonoti has "good shakes," Kia said. "He's got every move — bull-rush, swim, push-pull. He has the whole bag of moves. Dave is the same way. He's unpredictable. It's good to go against them every day."

Kia, who will be a fourth-year junior in the fall, is part of Mike Cavanaugh's last UH recruiting class. Shortly after Kia signed with UH in 2005, Cavanaugh accepted the job as Oregon State's offensive line coach.

"We didn't get to do drills with him," said Kia, a Mililani High graduate. "Nothing. He just left. I liked the guy. He was a super cool cat. I was looking forward to working with that guy. He put so many players in the NFL."

Kia is working under his third line coach at UH. Brian Smith follows Wes Suan and Dennis McKnight.

Kia, who is 6 feet 5, now weighs 280, "which is not good. I was at 300 during the season, and that was perfect."

On days when the Warriors practice, training-table meals are provided for the players. The meal plan does not extend to the basic offseason program.

"It's hard to eat in the offseason because you've got no food, no money," Kia said. "It's drinking water and drinking protein shakes. You've got no real food. Your weight drops pretty quickly."

TOILOLO STEPPING UP

After wearing gray and red shirts, defensive end Alasi Toilolo is finding that green jerseys are a more comfortable fit.

"Right now, it seems, is my time to shine," said Toilolo, a freshman who is practicing as the No. 2 defensive left end.

Toilolo's appearance on the two-deep chart has been surprising.

"A lot of people were like, 'You play for the football team?' " he said, smiling.

Toilolo, a 2006 graduate of Kapolei High, has evaded the radar the past two years. He grayshirted in 2006, an arrangement in which he would attend UH as a part-time student in the fall and then join the Warriors in January 2007.

But a dislocated shoulder suffered in high school altered those plans. He underwent surgery in 2006 and spent the spring of 2007 rehabilitating the injury. He joined the Warriors last summer.

Because of the talent surplus on the defensive line, Toilolo redshirted last season.

But his work on the scout team impressed the coaches, earning the promotion for spring training.

"I try to work hard every day," Toilolo said. "I have ups and downs. The first couple of days (of spring training), I wasn't doing so good. I'm trying my hardest to keep the level that (defensive line) coach (Dave) Aranda wants."

Toilolo, who is a member of the Mormon church, said he is considering going on church mission in the future. In the meantime, he is focusing on a football mission.

BUMPS AND BRUISES

Here's the health report: