It is feared that Hawaii offensive lineman Fred Ulu-Perry might miss the remaining three regular-season football games because of a patella injury.

Depending on the results of an MRI, Ulu-Perry might face surgery, according to a family spokesman. He suffered the injury in Saturday’s 31-23 road loss to UNLV.

As a Saint Louis School senior in 2014, Ulu-Perry was considered to be the state’s top prep lineman. He signed with UCLA in February 2015, and played in eight games that season before requesting — and receiving — a release from his football scholarship. In December 2015, Perry announced he was transferring to UH, becoming the first member of coach Nick Rolovich’s initial recruiting class.

In accordance with NCAA transfer rules, Ulu-Perry redshirted in 2016. This season, he played in seven games, making four starts. He can play each of the line positions.

The Warriors were forced to cobble a starting offensive line against UNLV. Center Asotui Eli and right guard J.R. Hensley were ailing and did not travel to Las Vegas. Taaga Tuulima, a second-year freshman who moved from defense in the spring, started at center. Matt Norman started at right tackle; John Wa‘a, the usual left guard was at right guard, and Chris Posa opened at left guard.

Wa‘a, who had been iffy to start, exited after the first series, but re-entered when Ulu-Perry suffered the knee injury. When Posa departed in the fourth quarter, true freshman Brandon Kipper was summoned to play left guard in the final two series.

Rolovich said the Warriors have a “chance to get healthy this week.” That opens the possibility of Eli and Hensley being options. Two ailing players who did not travel last weekend — tight end Kade Greeley and defensive tackle Viane Moala — will be available for Saturday’s game against Fresno State.

The Warriors returned from Las Vegas early Sunday. The coaches spent the day in meetings and reviewing videos. Rolovich said he was pleased with the players’ efforts, no turnovers and decreased penalties. “We’re not good enough to drop balls, or miss tackles for loss or sacks, or be not as accurate on a few throws,” Rolovich said. “We’re not good enough to not capitalize on those opportunities.”

Rolovich is awaiting an official interpretation from the Mountain West office on the leverage rule. UNLV scored a touchdown to increase its lead to 21-13 in the third quarter. UH was assessed a penalty when the referees ruled a Warrior had vaulted a teammate to try to block the point-after kick. The 15-yard penalty was assessed on UNLV’s ensuing kickoff. The Rebels attempted — and recovered — an onside kick, then drove 35 yards in three plays for a touchdown.

“That changed the game,” Rolovich said.

In hindsight, with the tee on the 50 and 20-mph southern winds behind the UNLV kicker, Rolovich said he should have asked for a timeout. “It didn’t look like we were ready for (the onside kick).”

It was a rough day for Rolovich. When UH’s final pass sailed incomplete, Rolovich fell backward onto the turf.

“Nobody was there to catch me,” Rolovich said.