Pita Tonga’s allegiance to the University of Hawaii football team begins with his personal drive.

Tonga makes the 36-mile commute from Laie, where he lives with his wife and their child, to the Manoa campus.

“At first, the drive was impossible,” said Tonga, who joined the Rainbow Warriors as a graduate transfer from Utah in June. “I couldn’t believe how long the drive was. Now I’ve gotten used to it. I know my way around the island much better now.”

Tonga has made the adjustment to the Warriors’ attacking “War Dog”defense — he is the starting defensive tackle — and to UH’s simpler essentials.

Flush with Pac-12 Network cash, the University of Utah’s athletic complex has stadium-seating meeting rooms, a juice bar and a barber shop. UH? Not so much.

“If anything,” Tonga noted of the polar amenities of his former and current schools, “It taught me that having stuff is nice. But at the end of the day, it’s about your mentality, and it’s about your grind, and the hard work you’re willing to put in. Whether you’re a team that has resources or whether you’re a team that doesn’t have resources, it goes back to your mentality, your grind, the type of players you have that will determine the success.”

After four seasons and a bachelor’s degree with the Utes, Tonga sought a change. He said he likes head coach Todd Graham, who doubles as the defensive coordinator, and D-line coach Dan Phillips. Tonga and his wife have relatives in Laie. He also consulted with Utah defensive lineman Viane Moala, who played two years at UH before transferring.

“I had a lot of questions because I’d never been here before, not even on a vacation or anything like that,” Tonga said. “I just knew I wanted to play football here. I really like the coaches. Viane kind of told me about the culture, especially the food. I’m really grateful for the food. I was asking him about everything there is to know about this place. I’m really happy I came.”

Tonga, who is 6 feet 2 and 285 pounds, has aligned at the nose, 3-technique and end. Two of his eight tackles were for losses. He also intercepted a pass against Portland State.

“I wish I kept my feet,” Tonga said of his 8-yard return. “It was nice to get another interception. Who doesn’t love to make to plays? Especially for an inside defensive lineman, an interception is something that is pretty special. I’m glad I got it. I hope I can get more in the future for my team.”

At Utah, Tonga had an interception return for a touchdown, and missed another pick-6 when he fumbled the ball out of bounds.

Tonga and his teammates formed a quick bond. “These guys are my brothers,” Tonga said. “The chemistry in the locker room only gets stronger. I feel we show that through the way we play each week. I feel the guys are hungry. We feed off that. Everyone feeds off each other.”