Warrior Beat: Nose tackle earns Hawaii football scholarship

Today’s practice had just ended but there was one more point to be made. In the post-practice circle, coach Nick Rolvich awarded a scholarship to nose tackle Azia Se‘ei.

It comes at a perfect time. The help Se‘ei receives through the GI Bill — his father was in the Navy for more than 25 years — was set to expire this summer. Se‘ei is set to earn a bachelor’s degree in May 2020.

Se‘ei also has been playing on the first-team defense in recent practices.

At 5-11 and 275 pounds, Se‘ei has relied on strength (575-pound squat lift) and leverage to maneuver past grasping offensive linemen. “You don’t have to be the biggest guy,” Rolovich said. “You have to be the best version of you that you can be. And he does that every day.”