Nowadays, when Kalei Meyer scans the Nevada football practice field, the only familiar face he’ll see from Hawaii is receivers coach Timmy Chang.

It isn’t the way Meyer saw his college career playing out five years ago as one of three players from Hawaii to join the Wolf Pack in 2014.

Teammate Marc Ma, a defensive lineman from ‘Iolani, tragically died when he drowned while paddleboarding on Lake Tahoe in 2016. Linebacker Jake Lacaden, who battled Meyer in high school as part of the Saint Louis-Kamehameha rivalry, had to retire prior to the start of last season due to concussions and is now on Cal Lee’s staff at his alma mater

That has left the 2014 Kamehameha alumnus, who has already earned his engineering degree and is working toward an MBA, as the sole remaining player from that Hawaii class of 2014.

The 6-foot, 280-pound fifth-year senior is the team’s starting center after switching positions from defensive line in the spring.

“It’s definitely been a lot of work,” Meyer said in a phone interview on Tuesday. “I was really excited (to start the opener), and the day of the game I was getting a little bit nervous and then I’d get excited. It was coming in waves.”

Initially working at left guard, an injury to the team’s starting center forced Meyer to switch positions again just two weeks before the opener against Portland State.

Although he was so raw at the position and admitted to still “taking out other offensive line guys” in practice, Meyer was trusted with calling out coverages at the line.

“They gave me the keys to the car,” Meyer said. “The first couple of drives stalled out, but then we got into the groove and started going.”

Meyer spent four years on the defensive line and started two games as a sophomore in 2016.

A back injury derailed his junior year, causing him to miss four games and play sparingly as a reserve.

He had already earned his degree and knew he could move on from his playing days when the coaching staff approached him about moving to the offensive line.

He was no longer playing with Ma and Lacaden, whom he said he was close with, but the game of football was enough to keep him around another season.

“I’ve always loved football,” Meyer said. “I take pride in being from Hawaii. I’m the only player from Hawaii here and it’s a very big deal to me, especially since Jake had to retire and we lost Marc.”

Nevada (1-1) hosts Oregon State on Saturday at Mackay Stadium. The Beavers are routinely at the top of the list of players from Hawaii on their roster. They currently have seven who graduated from Hawaii high schools, including seniors Kalani Vakameilalo (Kapolei) and LaMone Williams (Kahuku).

“I played with Kalani a little bit and in high school I played against LaMone,” Meyer said. “It’s always good to see the guys from Hawaii, especially knowing that they are in the same boat as you are. Everybody is going through the same thing representing Hawaii.”

Meyer will get one last opportunity to play at home when the Wolf Pack travel to play Hawaii at Aloha Stadium on Oct. 20.

“Like I said, I’m just happy to be able to play,” Meyer said. “I’m happy for the opportunity because not everybody gets it.”