Sometime during the recruiting process last year, Kendrick Van Ackeren realized he had to become a forward thinker.

A decorated safety at Bellevue (Wash.) High, Van Ackeren knew he would have to move up to linebacker in college.

"I started eating more, trying to put on more weight," said Van Ackeren, who signed with Hawaii in February.

Van Ackeren, who is about 6 feet, now weighs 205 pounds. With Aaron Brown sitting out practices because of a tight hamstring, Van Ackeren has received reps as the No. 2 weakside linebacker.

During a scrimmage-like drill Monday, Van Ackeren blitzed, then made a leaping interception of Bryant Moniz’s pass toward the flats.

"I saw his arm come up, and I just went up and tried to find the ball," Van Ackeren said.

Defensive coordinator Dave Aranda said Van Ackeren is "a playmaker. He’s getting more quality reps with Aaron being out."

Aranda said it was easy to encourage Van Ackeren’s switch from safety.

"The era of big safeties, at least for now, has come and gone," Aranda said.

Aranda said Van Ackeren brings quickness to a position that requires more coverage responsibilities. No decision has been made yet on whether Van Ackeren will play or redshirt this season.

"The next two or three weeks have a lot to do with it," Aranda said. "Usually, the first two or three weeks of camp is when we want to look at guys to see where they fit, at least early on. We’d like to get settled, then go from there."

McBride might be headed for new home

Darryl McBride, a fourth-year junior, is vying for a key role on defense.

McBride has been playing weakside linebacker in place of Brown. There also are plans to use him as a blitzer in different defensive schemes.

"Darryl is probably our fastest linebacker, and one of our more athletic ones," Aranda said.

McBride joined as a non-scholarship safety last summer. During spring drills, he was used as a combination pass-rusher/outside linebacker. But at the end of spring, he was moved to weakside linebacker.

"It’s complicated because I’m learning so many different techniques," McBride said. "I have to be open to learning new things and new positions."

Brown offers daily tutoring.

"He’s an athlete," Brown said of McBride. "The talent is there. The motivation is there. He has to put it all together."

Aranda said the hope is to create more depth at linebacker.

"With George (Daily-Lyles), and Kendrick, and Darryl, we can rest some more people," Aranda said. "We weren’t able to do that last year."