Things are changing rapidly in the life of most 17-year-olds, and that is certainly true for highly recruited Punahou senior linebacker Isaac Savaiinaea.

After Friday’s practice, Savaiinaea said he decommitted from Stanford and left just two schools  in the mix for his services next season — UCLA and Texas A&M.

The very next day, the Aggies upset No. 1 Alabama.

"Both have new coaching staffs, both are doing well this year and both gave me that feeling that I wanted to be there," said Savaiinaea, whose most recent visit was to UCLA, a setting that he called a mini-Hawaii. "Strangers came up to me and were so friendly and made me feel so comfortable."

Savaiinaea, an imposing figure at 6 feet 3 and 240 pounds, also recently visited Notre Dame, where Buffanblu linebacker Manti Te’o has led a down-on-its-luck program all the way to a No. 3 ranking in the latest BCS standings.

He considers Te’o a role model.

"(Manti has) shown that the dreams of Hawaii players can come true, players who want to get off the island, go to college and make it to the NFL (where Te’o is more than likely bound next year). It gives us the feeling that we can do the same."

It’s logical that comparisons will be drawn between the two defensive prides of Punahou, but coach Kale Ane makes it clear that they are two very different individuals.

"It’s an honor for him to be compared to Manti," Ane said. "It humbles him. But Isaac has his own path and his own journey to make."

WHAT IS IT, EXACTLY, that Savaiinaea brings to the football field and eventually to either the Bruins or the Aggies?

"A fiery spirit," Savaiinaea said. "I like to get everyone up. If the team is down, I don’t want that vibe keeping us down.

"I want to attack that ball, so the other team doesn’t gain yards. I want to bring that ‘hit’ to the game."

Punahou’s opponents and high school football fans can vouch for the fact that he brings that ‘hit’ and more to the games.

"He’s a great player," Ane said. "He’s an excellent leader. Sometimes, the older players will yell to motivate, but he is always positive and encouraging to the younger kids.

"He’s tough, physical, aggressive, instinctive and is also prepared and knowledgeable about offensive concepts. A player as good as Isaac can get by on ability, but he asks the right questions, knows everyone’s responsibilities and can make adjustments if the others are misaligned. He puts the time in and that is a difference-maker for him."

Confidence is another trait Savaiinaea has plenty of, but he’d rather show it on the field than "sound cocky."

And if you’ve missed him on the field so far, his YouTube highlights pack a distinct punch.

Savaiinaea — who is a distant relative of former UH defensive lineman Rocky Savaiigaea — and the second-ranked Buffanblu (7-2) are preparing for Friday’s state Division I semifinal game against No. 3 Mililani (9-2) at Aloha Stadium. As for the discrepancy in the spelling of the last names, Isaac said his mom found out about two months ago that they were related and that somewhere in Rocky’s ancestry the ‘n’ was changed to a ‘g’).

WITHOUT A DOUBT, this is Savaiinaea’s most satisfying year of high school football.

"My most memorable (career) moment was during camp this year and the bonding that we all had with all the boys and forming the team," he said. "It was unreal this year compared to the other years. Why we are doing so good is because our group dynamic is really high. The seniors are more open. The seniors and underclassmen are so much more intermingled."

Ane mentioned that he thinks others may overlook the Buffanblu defense because their offense is so successful.

"Isaac is the leader on defense," Ane said. "He sets the tone, and the staff has done a great job after losing many big, athletic players from last year. The defense might not get the attention (it) deserves, but when you look at the quality of teams we play and how we are preventing long drives and stopping opponents from scoring, you see that they’ve stepped up."

No matter what, the Buffanblu offense won’t win a state championship alone — not with Mililani’s high-flying passing attack and (if Punahou wins) either Kahuku’s or Farrington’s pounding ground game standing in the way.

So it’s quite possible the Buffanblu’s hopes for their first title since 2008, Te’o’s senior year, rest squarely on the shoulders of Savaiinaea and his defensive teammates.