Chris Posa is graduating from “Roll Tide” to “Rolo.”

Posa, who was an Alabama offensive lineman the past three seasons, is joining the University of Hawaii football team a day after his Aug. 6 commencement ceremony.

Because he will earn a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in three years, Posa is exempt from redshirting in 2016. He will have two years to play two UH seasons.

Posa, who is 6 feet 4 and 290 pounds, practiced at every line position at Alabama but is projected to compete at center for UH. Asotui Eli, John Wa‘a and Fred Ulu-Perry rotated at center in spring training. Ulu-Perry must redshirt this season after transferring from UCLA in January.

“I’m not going to make any assumptions (about playing time),” Posa said. “I’m just here to help the team however I can.”

Posa said he chose to transfer to UH after long talks with head coach Nick Rolovich and offensive line coach Chris Naeole.

“I trust everything they have to say over there,” Posa said. “Coach Rolo told me his vision for the program, and I believe that’s where it’s headed.”

Posa also had a plan as a high school player in Michigan. His father’s college roommate, Kamehameha Schools graduate Carter Kamana, played under Nick Saban, who was Michigan State’s secondary coach at the time. Kamana helped Posa gain notice at Alabama, where Saban is now the head coach.

“That was enough to get my film in the door,” Posa said. “That’s what got me into Alabama.”

Posa attended Alabama on an academic scholarship that paid for the equivalent of eight semesters. Posa’s plan was to take up to 16 credits each of the past two summers to meet a goal of graduating in three years. This spring, he sent e-mails to several schools.

“Hawaii was paradise,” Posa said. “It was almost a long shot. I figured, I might as well e-mail them. And then all of a sudden, Coach Naeole is calling me, talking about film. It was very cool. … I’m not going to doubt anything he says. He knows what he’s talking about, that’s for sure. That’s been pretty tried and true.”

Posa took a recruiting trip to Hawaii in April. He wore an Alabama shirt during an outing. “It’s all I had,” he said. “I wasn’t trying to big-time anybody, by any means.”

Posa played in one game during his three-year Alabama career. But he roomed with defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson, the Detroit Lions’ second-round pick this year; completed work on a degree and received a ring commemorating the Tide’s 2015 national championship.

“They did give me the wrong number on the ring, at first,” Posa said. “It was an actual mistake. They corrected it.”

He recalled the moment when he knew the Tide would beat Clemson in the title game. “When it finally hit,” he said, “I can honestly say it was the happiest I’ve ever been.”

Of his teammates, Posa said: “They’re some of the hardest-working people you’ve ever seen. The ones who succeeded in the league … they were the first ones showing up to workouts. Just the mentality behind it was impressive. I learned a lot just watching people.”

Posa said it did not go unnoticed that Hawaii plays at Michigan on Sept. 3.

“I’ve got about 15 buddies who want tickets to that game,” Posa said. “Most of my friends went to Michigan State. They don’t like Michigan.”