Even after nearly five years in the University of Hawaii football program, Vaughn Meatoga can still see himself in the younger members of the Warriors defense.

When he arrived on campus in 2007, defensive tackle Michael Lafaele voiced the conscience of the unit and provided guidance for the freshman from Kauai.

Now a senior, it’s Meatoga who has grown into the role of mentor for many of the younger Warriors.

"I try to take care of them like how I was taken care of," Meatoga said. "Mike showed me the ropes, showed me some tough love, got on me when I wasn’t paying attention or doing stuff wrong.

"It’s just paying it back. Even though they were tough on me, they showed me a lot of love, too. I might be tough on a lot of the guys on the team, but I look out for all of them. … It feels like yesterday that was me."

After watching four senior ceremonies over his UH career, Meatoga will be one of the participants following Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. matchup with Brigham Young (8-3) at Aloha Stadium.

Meatoga hopes to add another game to his career as the Warriors (6-6) pursue a berth in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve, and his impact on the program figures to extend beyond his senior year.

"He’s been here for five years and knows what college football is all about. He’s a good mentor to everybody, not just the D-line but the whole team," freshman defensive lineman Moses Samia said. "(Meatoga) helps me learn a lot about football and appreciating the game and what it means, not just X’s and O’s."

Meatoga’s final regular-season game will also bring him back to his younger days with the return of BYU tight end Kaneakua Friel and safety Travis Uale, both former teammates at Kamehameha.

"It’s crazy to be playing against them," said Meatoga, who remains close with Friel. "Playing with them back in the day to being across from them, you kind of want to show them the skills you accumulated over the years. I can’t wait to see them."

Those skills have helped Meatoga record 37 tackles, four for loss, while starting every game this season at defensive tackle alongside fellow senior Kaniela Tuipulotu.

But the production of others tends to be a more telling indicator of the tackles’ effectiveness.

"We talk about being unselfish inside, him and Kaniela are unselfish guys," said Tony Tuioti, a former UH defensive tackle who now coaches the position. "They take two blocks if they have to, they do whatever they need to do to keep the linebackers free, and they don’t complain much about making plays, they just play within the scheme and find their role."

Meatoga has weathered the punishment inherent in playing in the interior to remain a fixture along the defensive front, and his approach to the job is among the lessons he’s passed on.

"This game is all about being physical and he really demonstrates it week in and week out," said Samia, Meatoga’s backup in the tackle rotation.

Meatoga said the mentality in taking on double-teams on most snaps "is something you grow into." But that physical challenge is also what drives him each week.

"It’s just that man-on-man ‘is he going to move me off the ball or am I going to shed him and make the play,’ " Meatoga said. "You take pride in that."

This week, the Warriors will try to hold their ground against a BYU offensive line that is both imposing —the Cougars’ starters average close to 307 pounds per man — and skilled in their blocking schemes.

"They run their plays well together, they work as a unit," Meatoga said. "Their plays happen real quick … and they execute real well. It’s going to be a challenge."