This season, the Hawaii football team has relied on safeties in numbers.
When safety Meki Pei struggled with health issues, the Rainbow Warriors turned to Kilinahe Mendiola-Jensen, a 2021 Punahou School graduate who transferred to UH last year after playing two seasons at UNLV.
With Hawaii needing a more physical run defender, Justin Sinclair started at safety ahead of Mendiola-Jensen in last Saturday’s game against Boise State. After Peter Manuma exited with an injury in the first quarter, Pei was summoned for the second time this season. UH held Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen to 85 passing yards in the second half.
“The next guy is going to step up,” middle linebacker Logan Taylor said of the Warriors’ depth. “There can’t be a falloff.”
With Manuma’s availability in question for Saturday’s road game against Washington State, Pei is expected to receive extensive play, if not start.
After playing 464 snaps in 2022 and 582 last year, Pei endured injuries in training camp and the first three games of the season.
“Just trying to get my body back into playing shape,” Pei said. “I was coming back and then — boom — another (injury). I’ve got to take better care of my body in the training room.”
He also eats healthier meals and gets more sleep. An hour before bedtime, Pei silences the alerts on his phone. “No devices,” he said. “I’m always trying to sleep early. As I get older, my body doesn’t function the same as when I was younger.”
But Pei refuses to ease on his heavy-hitting style. Of his 39 snaps this season, he was aligned in the tackle box 31 times.
“I’ve got a lot of experience in the box,” said Pei, a 2020 graduate of ‘Iolani School. “I played there my whole high school years. I prefer staying in the box. I feel more comfortable there.”
Although he hits like a linebacker, Pei conceded, “I’m not big enough to be a linebacker. I’m 196 pounds. I love being a safety. It’s always been my dream position. When I was younger, I wanted to play quarterback. But when seventh, eighth grade came around, I decided I’d rather hit people.”
Pei was a walk-on at Washington for two seasons. “When the new coaching staff came in — I walked on over there — I wasn’t ready to start over another one or two years trying to earn my scholarship,” Pei said. “I was ready to come home and play in front of my family and friends and represent the home state.”
After the 2022 season, his first with the Warriors, he was awarded a scholarship.
Sinclair also has moved around the secondary, playing nickelback and both safety positions. Asked to describe his role, Sinclair said: “I’m a defensive back.”
With no Division I offers as a St. Francis High (Mountain View, Calif.) senior, Sinclair opted to attend a junior college. In 2022, he helped College of San Mateo win the California Community College Athletic Association title. Winning that title is recognized as being a national champion. Sinclair also is viewed as a 2023 junior college All-American.
“I had a long path to get to Hawaii,” Sinclair said.
Along the way, Sinclair was taught, “the biggest thing is to bring energy. I learned that over my years of playing football. Sometimes you have to force it. You have to bring your own energy. When you don’t have it, you still have to bring it.”