Hawaii defensive tackle Geordon Hanohano announced he is retiring from college football after being diagnosed with a neck stinger.

It was an emotional decision for Hanohano, who suffered the injury in the first quarter of Friday’s road loss to Brigham Young.

“It’s a big loss,” coach Norm Chow said. “It’s a heart-breaking loss. He is one of our leaders. He’s on our leadership council. It’s tough. He’s a senior and he knows he’ll never play football again.”

A stinger is a nerve compression. This is the second stinger of Hanohano’s UH career. He was advised he risked serious injury if he continued to play.

“In a sense, it was my call, but it was like a rhetorical question,” Hanohano said. “It was the (doctors’) way of helping me take time to let it settle in (and) talk to my family.”

Hanohano, a 2008 Saint Louis School graduate, used his redshirt as a freshman. He could not apply for a medical hardship because he has appeared in too many games this season.

“I guess I get to live a regular life, but it’s still going to hurt,” Hanohano said.

Hanohano attended Tuesday’s practice and tutored the younger defensive linemen.

“I was glad to see that,” Chow said.

Hanohano said: “I don’t want to stop coming around. I want to contribute. I’m still part of the team. I want to help out the team any way I can.”

Hanohano said he is set to earn a bachelor’s degree in December. He said he will explore the possibility of pursuing a master’s degree.

Warriors hurting on D-line

Defensive tackles Hanohano, Moses Samia and Calen Friel are out for the rest of the season and Siasau Matagiese is questionable for Saturday’s road game against San Diego State.

That forced the Warriors to try different players to line up alongside defensive tackle Haku Correa.

Defensive ends Beau Yap, Tavita Woodard and Jordan Pu‘u-Robinson played tackle during Tuesday’s practice.

Freshmen Mike Andrade and Hunter Thomson also were part of the rotation. Thomson, who underwent a knee procedure three weeks ago, was cleared to practice on Monday.

The Warriors even auditioned Kaeo Alo, the older brother of linebacker Kamalani Alo. Kaeo Alo, a 5-foot-9, 260-pound running back, was serving as the scout-team fullback when he was summoned to play defensive tackle during team drills.

Alo was a walk-on at Utah in 2011. UH is working on an application that will allow him to play this season.

Fonua with first-teamers

For the second day in a row, freshman middle linebacker Benny Fonua took reps with the first-team defense.

Fonua was scheduled to redshirt this season. But with the Warriors expected to expand the linebacker rotation, he was asked to relinquish his redshirt plans. Fonua agreed.

“It’s about the team, my family and friends, and the community,” Fonua said. “I want to do my best for them.”