The University of Hawaii football team was in another losing skid in 2015 when the corner turned.

“It was at UNLV,” said defensive backs coach Abraham Elimimian, recalling his chat with cornerback Jalen Rogers a week after Norm Chow was fired as UH head coach. “Jalen looked at me and said, ‘Coach, whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it for the team.’ That meant so much to me. I knew right then and there he was a team guy. He never said, ‘I should be playing over this guy or that guy.’ He looked at me and said, ‘Whenever you call on me, I’ll be ready to go.’ I knew I had a guy whom I could rely on.”

This fall, Rogers had a team-high four interceptions, as well as four pass breakups and eight passes defended successfully, and earned 18 credits to receive a bachelor’s degree. This week, Rogers signed with an agent and finalized plans to train in Houston ahead of the Rainbow Warriors’ pro day this spring. The Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals have inquired about Rogers. He also has received interest from the Canadian Football League.

“Like I told the scouts before, it’s hard to find guys who can cover,” Elimimian said. “The one thing Jalen can do is he can cover. And he takes the ball away.”

Elimimian said he has coached Richard Crawford, who was drafted by the Washington Redskins in 2013, and Greg Ducre, a former San Diego Charger who now plays for the BC Lions.

“I put Jalen, in terms of pure cover guy, better than those two,” Elimimian said. “Jalen can cover. And his off coverage might be better than his press coverage.”

Rogers, who is unabashedly confident, credited head coach Nick Rolovich and Elimimian with his development.

“Rolo honed it for me so I could be myself within the team,” Rogers said. “I’ve always been a confident player. As a DB, you have to be. You can’t second guess yourself at all. That’s part of my game.”

Rolovich said Rogers used to “get emotionally hijacked. Once he got his emotions under control, he became a much better player.”

The past two seasons, Elimimian and Rogers discussed goals for several hours in the football office. “I’ve always believed players set the standards, and it’s my job to make sure they achieved those standards,” said Elimimian, adding that sometimes the discussions elevated in volume during practices.

“We actually had a few yelling matches back and forth,” Elimimian said. “I believe when I got after him that way, he got better. He never one time let me down, which I appreciate.”

Rogers said Elimimian, a former UH cornerback, has served as a role model.

“Coach Abe has meant a lot to me,” Rogers said. “I look up to him as a coach and a player. He’s been through the footprints I’ve been through as a player.”