For the past six years, there has been a direct line between the 801/385 and 808 area codes.

During that span, the Hawaii football team has had 16 players and 10 coaches and staff members with ties to Utah. The connection was constructed when Honolulu-born Norm Chow, who played and then coached for 27 years in the Beehive State, brought in two assistant coaches from Utah in 2012, his first of four years as UH head coach.

Since then, Utah has produced seven UH starters, including slotback John Ursua, tight end Harold Moleni and wideouts Marcus Kemp, Quinton Pedroza and Ammon Barker.

Although the numbers are dwindling, Utah still is considered a “premium” recruiting area for the Rainbow Warriors. Quarterbacks coach Craig Stutzmann is the point recruiter in Utah.

“There’s definitely a lot of talent in the state of Utah,” said Barker, a fifth-year senior. “There are a lot of kids who want to play college football. It’s not going to go away.”

Barker is the only Utahan on the Warriors’ travel roster for Saturday’s road game against Utah State. Ursua, who was born on the Big Island but attended high school in Utah for three years, is recovering from a season-ending ACL injury. Linebacker Max Broman’s senior season ended two weeks ago when he was diagnosed with a shoulder injury. Offensive lineman Elijah Tupai retired from football this summer to help take care of his family. Defensive lineman Azia Seei is a walk-on who has not played in a game this season.

For Barker, this will be the first collegiate game he will play in his home state. He redshirted as a freshman when the Warriors last played in Logan in 2013. The 2014 game between the teams was at Aloha Stadium. The teams did not meet in 2015 and 2016.

“My whole family will be able to come out,” said Barker, who was raised in Salt Lake City. “It won’t be a far drive, maybe an hour, an hour and 15 from my house. It’s going to be a good one.”

Barker had accepted a scholarship offer from UCLA in November 2012. But then the point recruiter resigned to accept a job at Washington State. Soon after, the offer was rescinded. Barker then visited UH, and he has not looked back.

“It’s hard not to fall in love with this place,” Barker said. “There are so many things that this state and people here embody. There’s so much aloha spirit going on. Everybody is extremely kind and genuine. When I came on my recruiting trip, the players who were here before just kind of really instilled that and made me feel this was home away from home.”

Barker, who was adopted within hours after being born, noted that living in Hawaii deepened his relationship with his Polynesian background. Barker is Tongan and Nigerian.

“It definitely got me in touch with my Polynesian side,” Barker said.

Barker will earn a degree in political science, which he hopes to parlay into future work and studies in several areas, including international law or public service. His father, Bart, is an assistant to a Salt Lake City councilman.

“Everything about this college experience has been tough and challenging, but I’ve enjoyed every second of it,” Barker said.