Sophomore Toniu Fonoti is one of four players on Nebraska from the Hawaiian Islands.(Provided to SportsLine)

It is evident that Fonoti, now a sophomore, does not know at least two things: his own strength and how good he can be.

He is a huge, Baby Huey-like reason to believe in Nebraska's national championship hopes. With him, Nebraska's line has more upside than George W. Bush's stock portfolio. It is a line that has size, strength and an ample food supply. At last check this season's five starters had 27.3 career pancakes. You know, that contrived statistic that describes a defender being planted firmly on his backside?

Rating the relative strengths of Nebraska's great lines could take up an afternoon. Suffice to say this is one is great and different. Up until four years ago Nebraska had recruited in, but never landed a player from, Hawaii. Now they've got four from the state. Two of those are starting on the line, Fonoti and center Dominic Raiola, an All-America and Outland Trophy candidate.

That ought to tell you something about the power of the islands. Nebraska will have as many offensive line starters from Hawaii this season as the University of Hawaii.

"I wanted to open doors for people back home to come here," said Raiola, a junior who was the first Hawaiian to commit to Nebraska back in 1996. "If that happens, that's great. I have nothing but good things to say about this place when I go back home. Trying to get people to come here."

It was one of those cold, Lincoln December days when Raiola made his first visit, the kind that drives kids from ocean climates to the nearest hot tub.

"We thought our chances were slim to none in getting him," said offensive line coach Milt Tenopir.

By the time the weekend was finished, Raiola found himself in Tom Osborne's office with a scholarship offer. Without even calling his parents back in Honolulu, he said yes.

"I didn't like them," Raiola said of Nebraska. "My dad went to the University of Miami. They had those Miami-Nebraska battles. I actually told my friend I'd never go that far away from home. I got here and I was in awe ... facilities, academic support, people, players. I had senior All-Americans coming up to say hi."

The change of heart opened a door for Fonoti, sophomore linebacker Tony Tata and freshman nose tackle Junior Tagoa'i to follow behind Raiola. They are such a phenomenon that Husker-red "We Do It Island Style" t-shirts have popped up in Lincoln. With Tagoa'i on ukulele the four have been known to break out in native song.

"They're a different breed of cat," Schwab said. "It's a beautiful culture for one. Dominic was my roommate. They welcome in a stranger like a brother. But get them on the football field and it's like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. That's what I like about both of them. When they cross the lines they're animals."

Raiola broke out with the infamous, "I hate Texas" quote before last year's game against the Longhorns. The statement was as out of character for Nebraska as it was embarrassing. Texas handed the Huskers their only loss of the season.

But other than that, Raiola backed up everything he said. Now it's up to the line to find its place in the heavens with all the other great Nebraska lines. The problem is comparing those lines is as hard as comparing great sunsets. How do you separate them?

The 1994 line was considered one of the best until it lost four starters and was replaced by the 1995 unit, which also helped win a national championship. A combined three linemen from those teams are playing in the NFL.

It is an eclectic mix of four returning starters in 2000. In addition to Raiola there is Schwab, 23, who got a sixth year from the NCAA after reconstructive knee surgery in 1999. Guard Russ Hochstein, another All-America candidate, is the smallest member of the group at 290. Dave Volk (6-5, 310) will be guarding Eric Crouch's blind side at left tackle.

"That's what I noticed in '95, my first year," Schwab said. "We were just scrappy as hell. That was the scrappiest o-line I've ever seen. We get in there and punch people in the mouth. That's what it's getting back to."

Raiola and Schwab, while best of friends, have passed the time in their apartment "getting each other so hyped up (that) we're ready to start throwing blows," Schwab said. "We laugh at ourselves and kind of think, 'Sit down.'"

Toniuolevaiavea Satele Fonoti doesn't drop into this lineup unannounced. He won't turn 19 until two days after the regular season ends. He was born in American Samoa but moved to Hawaii with four other brothers and sisters when he was eight. His parents felt the growing prodigy wasn't getting enough competition on the islands so they moved him to Oceanside, Calif., to play for his junior year.

That's where Nebraska first made recruiting contact. If not for Raiola's presence at the school the Huskers' pitch might have been ignored.

"When I first got here I was kind of homesick," Fonoti said. "The other Hawaiians stepped in to help me out. My dad has no words when he comes to a game. He can't describe it. My mom made it to the Fiesta Bowl. I told her that's a small taste of what you're going to get at a home game. My dad and my brothers were just amazed."

It's a tribute that Fonoti could play despite being as raw as the sashimi (uncooked tuna) that is a delicacy in his home state. On his first play from scrimmage in 1999 against Iowa, he went the wrong way. Forget the playbook -- Raiola frequently had to point out which way to go.

"If you saw a 340-pound Samoan standing in front of you staring at you you've got to be intimidated," Schwab said. "That big of a guy you can't prepare for if you're a d-lineman. Even though he's coming at you there's nothing to do but take it.

"Most guys couldn't take it."

Photo provided by the University of Nebraska.