University of Hawai'i linebacker Mana Lolotai will finally be playing in Oregon State's Reser Stadium, just not in the role — or uniform — he originally intended.

Lolotai committed to the Beavers out of Kamehameha Schools in 2006.

"Out of high school I kind of wanted to get away, and Oregon State was my option, so I signed with them," he said.

But he didn't qualify academically, so instead he remained in Hawai'i and enrolled at Hawai'i Pacific before joining the Warriors in 2007.

"Everything worked out to where I could stay home. It was easier for me and my family," said Lolotai, who has a wife, Shaela, and daughter, Zaiah, who turned 2 in August.

"It was a better transition than if I was to leave," he said. "If I was to do the Oregon State route, I would have been gone when my wife gave birth."

Lolotai will be reunited with some of his would-be teammates and former Kamehameha teammates. Oregon State features 16 players from Hawai'i on its roster.

Hawai'i (1-1) plays Oregon State (0-2) Saturday at 10 a.m. Hawai'i time. The pay-per-view game is available live on Oceanic digital channel 255 via Fox Sports Net.

"There are a lot of Hawai'i ties; being in the Pacific Northwest there's a lot of Polynesian people there," said Hawai'i offensive line coach Brian Smith, who was a graduate assistant coach with the Beavers in 2006. "Oregon State has done a good job with recruiting Hawai'i. We've had some real good games against them in the past eight, nine years. And I guess that's kind of helped develop a little bit of a rivalry."

OSU leads the series with the Warriors, 4-3, and Hawai'i has never played in Reser Stadium, the home of the Beavers.

Like Lolotai, Warriors safety Mana Silva wanted to play for Oregon State. He redshirted there in 2006, then familial obligations called him home.

"It's going to be different from playing at Aloha Stadium," Mana Silva said. He explained that the students "are going crazy. They never sit down, they are always standing up.

"When I went there for my (recruiting) visit, it was good and the atmosphere was good, but I came back for my family," said Silva, who is married to Keilah, and has a 15-month-old son, Kauahe.

He said Corvallis, Ore., features a lot of good student and community support.

"That's all they have to do out there so they all come to the games," Silva said.

What does Smith look forward to doing during his return to Corvallis?

"Winning."

Note: UH kicker Dan Kelly has 368 career points. The wrong point total was listed in a story in Sunday's Advertiser.