Between now and national signing day on Feb. 5, The Oregonian is profiling high school football players who are expected to sign with the Ducks.

Name: Haniteli Lousi

Hometown: Fremont, Calif.

Position: Offensive line

Twitter: @teli_tubby75

Height: 6-foot-5

Weight: 290 pounds

High school: Fremont (Calif.) / College of San Mateo (Calif.)

2013 statistics: N/A

Why Duck fans should be excited: Haniteli Lousi needed to be meaner.

“It was the third week or the season. We had a sit down,” College of San Mateo coach Bret Pollack said. “I needed to see him be more nasty and be more physical.”

Lousi delivered and along the way became a four-star offensive lineman who already signed a National Letter of Intent with Oregon on Dec. 18, one of three junior college players to do so. But getting there was because, in part, of his response to Pollack’s challenge. That answer doesn’t surprise Lousi’s high school coach from Fremont, Calif., Ken Whitmer, who calls the three-year starter at Washington High “a coach’s dream.”

“He's so easy to coach, so open to new ideas and his work ethic was one of the highest on the team,” said Whitmer, who recommended College of San Mateo because of his friendship with Pollack. San Mateo is also where former UO receiver Rahsaan Vaughn transferred from.

“No one wanted to be his workout partner because he's a leader-type of guy.”

His work ethic between his freshman and sophomore years of junior college wasn’t unnoticed by Pollack, who watched as Lousi added 30 to 40 pounds of "good weight." Judging by the highlight videos and analysis of his play in 2013 – Lousi’s best strength is his lateral quickness, Pollack said, born from a background playing basketball and volleyball -- he turned that added girth into action at right tackle.

But still, something was missing with his game, a nastiness that can be hidden by the quiet personality Whitmer and Pollack each came to know. So with six games remaining, Pollack sought to pull back the soft-spoken exterior with a bold challenge.

“Being big is one thing, but driving a guy off the ball and putting him on the back is another story,” Pollack said. “Our right guard next to him is going to Alabama. That’s a pretty good o-line having Alabama and Oregon. But that young man (Dominick Jackson) is a physical baller. I told Haniteli to show more of that and be more physical. They were very competitive and took pride in the right side of the line.

“… I don’t know what I did but (Lousi) made the changes. Once he combined that with the drive blocking, I knew he could.”

Lousi played mostly tackle and guard at San Mateo, but has been looked at by Oregon to play center, as well. The offensive line returns every starter from the Alamo Bowl but lost three from its bowl-game two-deep, and Lousi could find his opportunity in that second unit at the start.

Finding playing time will be difficult. But as long as he finds his mean streak again, his frame and agility give Lousi a chance to contribute right away.

Reporter Tyson Alger contributed to this story.