On Career Day in 2007, Devan Stubblefield received a glimpse of his future.

University of Hawaii football slotbacks Ryan Grice-Mullen and Davone Bess visited Holomua Elementary School in Ewa Beach.

“They gave a talk encouraging us to follow our dreams,” said Stubblefield, who was a sixth-grader at the time. “It was inspiring.”

Eleven years later, Stubblefield is a senior receiver with the Rainbow Warriors. During Saturday’s homecoming game at Aloha Stadium, the 2007 UH football team — which went 12-0 that regular season — will be celebrated as part of this year’s inductees into the school’s Circle of Honor.

“It’s kind of funny coming out to UH and being able to do the same (run-and-shoot) offense and being in the same shoes almost as those guys who came to my elementary school,” Stubblefield said. “It’s kind of cool that happened in sixth grade. I don’t have any pictures, but I definitely have autographs.”

Offensive lineman J.R. Hensley remembered the 2007 team as his first exposure to the Warriors.

“When I was a little kid, I used to watch them on TV,” said Hensley, who grew up in Oklahoma. “They were the latest games playing on ESPN. Me and my dad used to stay up and watch those games. That was my first experience with Hawaii football.”

Hensley recalled the “hard-hitting, hard-nosed football players. That was what Hawaii football was built on — tough islanders.”

Hensley said he never imagined he would play for the Warriors. “Not in my wildest dreams,” Hensley said.

A surreal encounter came a few years ago when Hensley met Colt Brennan, UH’s quarterback and 2007 Heisman Trophy finalist. “I was a freshman the first time I met him,” Hensley said. “I was 18 years old. All the alumni came to visit us when I first got here. I met him outside the auditorium. I was star-struck. I ended up getting a photo with him. He was cool and nonchalant. It was awesome. He’s a great man.”

Running back Dayton Furuta, like many UH fans, sought Brennan’s autograph that season. After UH clinched the Western Athletic Conference title, the 11-year-old Furuta hopped over the railing and raced on Aloha Stadium’s FieldTurf. He never did get near Brennan that day. “In the heat of the moment, I was excited, going around tapping dudes on the helmet,” Furuta said. “That was good enough for me.”

He also recalled hearing “BCS” chants near the end of the regular season.

“I knew going undefeated was crazy, but I didn’t know how big it was until I got older,” Furuta said.

Long-snapper Noah Borden used to cheer for the 2007 Warriors from the red-level seats at Aloha Stadium.

“That was probably some of the best memories of my childhood,” Borden said. “Being up there, feeling the stadium rocking. I remember when the games were sold out, the stadium was packed and rumbling, confetti falling, and the yelling. All those sounds.”

Borden and his brothers would try to emulate UH players. “I was raised in a football family,” Borden said. “We were always playing football, always going out on the street, playing catch on the road. Just having those experiences gave us the dream. That’s part of the motivation to come out here and work hard.”

Linebacker Solomon Matautia was 10 during the 2007 season. “I remember the game at San Jose when Colt ran it in in the last minute,” Matautia said. “I remember all those last-minute field goals with Dan Kelly. I remember sitting in the living room with my family pay-per-viewing games.”

Matautia shared a first name with his favorite player, linebacker Solomon Elimimian, UH’s career leader in tackles.

“That was my guy,” Matautia said. “I wore No. 17 when I was little, too.”