Through the first 11 games, the University of Hawaii football team’s offensive line held together.

The Rainbow Warriors were one of five FBS teams to start the same offensive linemen through that point. Then in the practices leading to last week’s game against UNLV, according to head coach Nick Rolovich, “we wanted to shore up the middle a little bit. Get a bigger body in there.”

That body was 6-foot-6, 340-pound Kohl Levao, who moved from right tackle to center. This summer, Levao transferred from City College of San Francisco.

“We needed a little more size and push in the middle, a little more lead in the middle,” said Mark Weber, who coaches the offensive line. “Kohl had played center in high school. We were kind of prepping him throughout the season. We’d get him a couple snaps here and there at center.”

Against UNLV, Levao had several low shotgun snaps, but none resulted in lost fumbles or sacks. The experiment will stick for Saturday’s road game against San Diego State.

“I’ve had one or two centers his size — not quite as big, but big guys,” said Weber, who has 36 years of coaching experience. “But it’s always been good. You’re able to get more push in the middle, and you don’t get knocked around. And it helps the guards. And it helps the pass protection because you’re a little more solid.”

Levao’s move opened the way for Joey Nu‘uanu-Kuhi‘iki to make his first career start at right tackle. Nu‘uanu-Kuhi‘iki, a sophomore, moved from defensive end in spring training.

“That was the other part of the equation,” Weber said. “We wanted to get somebody who would do a good job at the right-tackle spot. Joey is very athletic. He did a very nice job for his first outing.”

Through training camp, Levao and Nu‘uanu-Kuhi‘iki battled for the No. 1 job. Now the competitor has become Nu‘uanu-Kuhi‘iki’s mentor. He said Levao has been helpful in his preparation.

“Kohl is a football guy,” Rolovich said. “I think that helped Joey understand what his role moving forward would be and how he should approach this.”

Nu‘uanu-Kuhi‘iki said: “It’s really a next-man-up mentality with Coach Web. It’s about getting his trust. I guess during that time (in practices) I gained his trust to at least to get in the game, and then giving me the opportunity to start.”

The line was instrumental in the Warriors’ fourth-quarter comeback against UNLV. Chevan Cordeiro, who threw three touchdown passes in three series, had ample protection inside and outside the pocket. On a critical third-and-9 play, right guard Solo Vaipulu made a big block on Cordeiro’s 17-yard scramble for a first down.

Rolovich said that comeback victory should boost the offensive line, particularly Nu‘uanu-Kuhi‘iki.

“He should have a lot of confidence knowing he was in there for a win at a pretty critical time, staying in there and pass protecting,” Rolovich said of Nu‘uanu-Kuhi‘iki. “I’m happy with his moving to O-line. I think he’s really taken to it. He keeps working. Being around Kohl Levao helps.”