In the first football meeting of the new year, University of Hawaii coach Nick Rolovich sought playmakers on offense.

Rolovich recalled asking: Who wants to be the receiver who goes up and catches the deep pass?

Marcus Armstrong-Brown, who had been a UH student for about a week, volunteered.

“For him to say that in front of a room of 90 guys he didn’t really know yet,” Rolovich has said, “he came here to make a difference, and that’s what I like about him.”

Armstrong-Brown, who is 6 feet 3 and 195 pounds, is trying to honor that pledge during spring training. In Saturday’s scrimmage, he caught a 35-yard pass from Dru Brown. Last week, he made an acrobatic reception while being hit.

“He’s still swimming a little bit,” Rolovich said. “He’s making mistakes you can understand for a guy who’s getting a lot thrown at him. And Kefense (Hynson, the receivers coach) is pushing him, which I like. I think he’ll get better and better.”

Armstrong-Brown said he has trust in Rolovich’s hybrid offense, which stems from an act-of-faith promise made last summer.

Armstrong-Brown, who was a standout receiver at Diablo Valley College, was the first to submit a signed letter of intent on Feb. 3, 2016, the first day of that year’s signing period. But a delay in his transcripts prevented him from joining the team at the start of the 2016 training camp. It was decided Armstrong-Brown would join in January 2017. That meant that Armstrong-Brown would, in essence, be a free agent. The Rainbow Warriors promised to hold his scholarship.

“Even if other schools heard about me not being signed to Hawaii, I would have turned down any offer, no matter how big, because my loyalty is to all these players and all these coaches,” Armstrong-Brown said.

He kept fit in the fall working with his high school strength coach, sprinting on a track and running the hills in Napa.

“Nothing was ever given to me,” Armstrong-Brown said. “Nothing’s come easy. I definitely have to keep in my playbook and I have to keep studying and keep grinding.”

Tuinei honors father by wearing No. 88

As the son and the nephew of football legends, safety Tumua Tuinei knew he had big numbers to fill. His father is Tom Tuinei, one of UH’s fiercest defensive linemen, and his late uncle Mark Tuinei was an offensive lineman for the Dallas Cowboys for 15 seasons. The younger Tuinei said his father has been supportive of his work in football and school.

“That’s why I wear his number,” said Tuinei, whose jersey number is 88. “That was his number when he played here. I asked to wear it in honor of him. It sticks out. It’s pretty cool to wear his number.”

At 5 feet 9, Tuinei is 7 inches shorter than his father. But he is a feisty defender who was named a team captain as a Punahou School senior in 2013. He joined UH as a walk-on linebacker in 2014. He redshirted that year, but was named the top defensive scout. He was used on special teams the past two seasons. In the middle of the 2016 season, he moved to safety.

It was admittedly a difficult adjustment, but Tuinei acknowledged safety “fits me better because of my size.” He lost 10 pounds, and now weighs 205. “I feel faster,” he said.

“Love him,” Rolovich said of Tuinei. “All he does is work. He’s got an extreme investment in this program. We appreciate him.”

Brennan, other former stars at signing session

Colt Brennan, Greg Salas, Kealoha Pilares, Nate Ilaoa and Ryan Grice-Mullins will be among the former Warriors available for autographs at a free meet-and-greet session today at Young’s Fishmarket (1286 Kalani St.). The event is from 5 to 7 p.m.

Those players will serve as instructors at the Barefoot League’s seventh Field of Legends Football Clinic on Saturday at Aloha Stadium. Among the other instructors are Chris Fuamatu-Maafala, Vince Manuwai, Samson Satele, Leonard Peters, Bryant Moniz, Maa Tanuvasa, Jason Rivers, Nate Jackson and David Maeva.

Clinics are for ages 13-17 (4 to 6 p.m.) and ages 7-12 (7 to 9 p.m.) The $65 fee includes a T-shirt, snacks, drinks and gift bag.

For details, call (808) 734-0200.