On a December day last year, a vibrant tone echoed throughout the University of Hawaii football offices.

Head coach Nick Rolovich sounded the conch shell 15 times — once for every UH recruit who put his commitment in writing that day. Two more would sign letters of intent in the ensuing days during that early confirmation period.

More than 10 months later, the Rainbow Warriors would be justified in blowing their own horn over the 2018 recruiting class. Of the 17 prospects who signed in December, 14 have played in games for the Warriors this season, including seven who have started.

In all, 23 of this season’s 44 first-year Warriors have appeared in games.

Rolovich said opportunities were available because of graduations, departures, injuries and the new NCAA redshirt rule. Through last season, a healthy player could redshirt only if he did not appear in any games that year. The amendment allows a player to appear in up to four games and still count the season as a redshirt year.

The new rule has allowed two freshman quarterbacks on the redshirt track — Chevan Cordeiro and Jeremy Moussa — to take snaps this season. Bef0re the second signing period, in February, the Warriors knew many of the recruits would not have to wait long for playing time.

“We knew we were going to have to” play first-year Warriors, Rolovich said.

Rolovich also fostered open competition. That helped wideout JoJo Ward, who committed to joining UH a month before the start of training camp, to work his way into the starting lineup.

Ward said he did not receive any of the UH plays before moving to Hawaii on July 18. But soon after arriving, he accepted an invitation to train with quarterback Cole McDonald and slotback Cedric Byrd. “It started from there,” Ward said.

Receivers coach Andre Allen was helpful in mentoring Ward and Byrd, who transferred to UH in January. “Joe picked things up a lot faster because he had to,” Allen said of Ward. “We were depending on him. He understood that.”

Allen is used to cramming sessions. He coached at City College of San Francisco for 27 years. “The turnaround is every year,” Allen said of junior-college programs. “You’re losing from 50 to 60 percent of your team every year because it’s only a two-year school. Trying to get new guys to learn the offense faster is something we’re used to doing.”

Mark Weber, who was hired as UH’s offensive line coach in January, inherited a unit that had only one player — left guard J.R. Hensley — with extensive experience as a starter. “A big part of it is the offense,” Weber said of training seven first-year Warriors. “It is simple. We keep it simple. … And then it’s just meetings, and showing film, and trying to figure out how they learn, and repetition in practice.”

Weber said the competition is continually open.

“Everybody gets a fair shot,” Weber said. “We evaluate every drill, every day, every meeting, and put the five best out there.”

The constant assessments were how freshman Ilm Manning, who signed with UH last December, emerged as the Warriors’ starting left tackle.

“We thought Ilm would be a great player, but we weren’t counting on him being our starting left tackle the whole season,” Rolovich said. “But he showed early in camp he wanted it, and he could learn it and he had physical tools that he could use to his advantage, and be effective for us.”

This season, there are six freshman offensive linemen starting for FBS teams. Two of them — Manning and right guard Solo Vaipulu — are Warriors. “They’re doing a good job,” Weber said.

FIRST-YEAR WARRIORS (GAMES/STARTS)

Quarterbacks: Kolney Cassel (1/0), Chevan Cordeiro (2/1), Jeremy Moussa (1/0).

Running back: Paul Lomanto (0/0).

Slotbacks: Cedric Byrd (10/9), Robert Funkhauser (0/0), Kahale Huddleston (0/0), Adam Netane (0/0).

Wideouts: Keliam Brunn (0/0), Tanner Darling (0/0), James Green III (0/0), John Johnson (0/0), Nick Mardner (1/0), Sean Rooks (1/0), JoJo Ward (10/9).

Offensive line: Alex Dalpe (0/0), Kohl Levao (10/10), Ilm Manning (10/10), Ernest Moore (0/0), Gene Pryor (1/0), Solo Vaipulu (10/10), Elias Wong (0/0).

Defensive ends: Kamuela Borden (5/0), Andrew Choi (0/0), Jonah Kahahawai-Welch (0/0), Jeffrey Keene (6/0), Jonah Laulu (2/0), Mason Mata‘afa (7/0), Zach Ritner (0/0), Derek Thomas (10/4).

Defensive tackles: Kendall Hune (10/0), Foi Shaw (0/0), Blessman Ta‘ala (10/10), Justus Tavai (0/0).

Linebackers: Payton Awaya (0/0), Manase Time (7/0).

Cornerback: Scott Lam (0/0).

Safeties: Khoury Bethley (10/0), Kai Kaneshiro (1/0), Kalamaku Kuewa (2/0), Alaka‘i Mashima (3/0), Dylan Toilolo (0/0).

Kicker: Nino Alibegic (0/0).

Long-snapper: Wyatt Tucker (0/0).