After eight months of evaluations, two players who redshirted as freshmen in 2012 — Elijah Tupai and Dejon Allen — are regarded as the University of Hawaii football team’s most athletic offensive linemen.

Now Tupai and Allen are competing for the No. 1 left guard’s job.

The spot was opened when left guard Kody Afusia moved to center to fill the void created when Ben Clarke shifted to left tackle last week.

"It turned out to be a nice experiment," head coach Norm Chow said. "Ben is doing a nice job. He can see a lot better out there. He’s smart. Whoever is our guard will be fairly young."

Tupai was the No. 1 left tackle through nine of the first 15 practices of spring training. He moved to left guard this past Thursday.

Tupai did not attend Monday’s practice because of undisclosed injuries suffered when he reportedly was struck by a truck this past weekend.

"We’ll see how he is," Chow said of Tupai, who redshirted in 2013 after undergoing shoulder surgery last summer.

Allen took all of the first-team reps in team sessions on Monday.

"Physically, he’s got everything," Chow said of Allen.

Allen has admittedly struggled in identifying coverages.

"I need to work on everything," Allen said. "That’s the biggest thing, picking up the offense."

Offensive line coach Chris Naeole said: "He has to study the playbook. If you don’t know where you’re going, you can’t go anywhere. You might have the tools, but you have to know how to use them. He has the tools."

Allen is adjusting to the offensive line after spending two different shifts on the defensive line the past year.

"I’ve always felt like an offensive guy, but at the same time, I’ve felt like a defensive guy," Allen said. "I can literally play both ways."

There were concerns if he would play at UH when he failed to meet the school’s entry requirements after signing with the Rainbow Warriors in February 2012. He spent most of that fall in limbo.

"That was the worst feeling of my life," said Allen, a 2012 Dominguez (Calif.) High graduate. "I didn’t know if I was going to be able to go to college. I didn’t know what I was going to do with my life."

Allen eventually earned a qualifying ACT score.

"I took (the test) seriously, and now I’m here," Allen said.

Allen, who is 6 feet 3, weighed 260 pounds when he joined the Warriors in July 2013. He gained experience — and 25 pounds — playing on the scout team as a redshirt this past fall.

Now Allen is expected to contribute this season.

"He’s young, and he needs to learn, and step up a little bit," Chow said. "He’s a talented guy."