As Quinton Pedroza blazed to a record-setting senior season at Chino High School in Southern California, one of the program’s distinguished alums was racking up remarkable receiving stats an ocean away.

Pedroza wasn’t all that aware of Greg Salas’ exploits in Hawaii back in 2010. After all, he hadn’t paid much mind to football until trying out for the team as a senior.

Both were preparing to move up a level in their football careers when Salas, Hawaii’s newly minted career receiving yards leader, visited the Chino campus and worked out with a few players who were heading off to college, Pedroza included.

"Going in I really had no idea how the tempo switched from high school to college. He gave us that mentality of not slacking or loafing," Pedroza recalled. "He guided us and steered us the right way so we went into the programs we were going into with the mentality to work and grind at that speed.

"It was an inspiration definitely. It was nice to see people come out of little places like Chino and it definitely opened our eyes."

Though he took a less direct path to Hawaii, Pedroza finds himself practicing on the same field where Salas once toiled as part of the Rainbow Warriors’ receiver corps.

The junior sat out the fall after transferring from Utah, where he played for Norm Chow, who was the Utes’ offensive coordinator.

"He played for us at Utah, so he’s been around and he understands what we’re trying to get done" Chow said. "He’ll be a major contributor."

Pedroza’s arrival also reunited him with former Utah teammates Jordan Wynn and Luke Matthews, who are UH coaches. Wynn was promoted to quarterbacks coach in the offseason. Matthews is a graduate assistant working with the receivers.

Pedroza said having guys he practiced and played with now helping run practice can be a bit awkward, "because we were such good friends. But the transition’s good."

Pedroza was eyeing a future in baseball for most of his high school career as Chino’s center fielder. He was drawing interest from baseball scouts when friends and coaches convinced him to give football a shot as a senior.

Like Salas, Pedroza played both receiver and defensive back. He set school records with 54 receptions for 1,078 yards and 16 touchdowns. The baseball inquiries were soon overtaken by football scholarship offers, including one from Hawaii, and he eventually signed with Utah.

Pedroza played in seven games in each of his two seasons in Salt Lake City and appeared poised for a starting role as a receiver and kick returner in 2013. But a violation of team rules resulted in his dismissal from the program last June. He transferred to UH and spent the fall on the scout team.

"It definitely gave me an eye opener, gave me some time to think, re-evaluate some things and most importantly get back on my feet and play the game I love," Pedroza said.

As Pedroza prepares for his second chance, his versatility could help ease the workload on do-everything senior Scott Harding. Pedroza is familiar with playing slot receiver, where Harding is the returning starter, or the outside positions.

"Wherever they need me, that’s the position I’ll play," Pedroza said.