After essentially a 16-year road trip, Ikaika Malloe has found his way back to paradise.

Malloe, a 1992 Kamehameha Schools graduate, has been named the Hawai'i football team's defensive line coach and coordinator of special teams.

"It's a dream job for me," said Malloe, whose wife, Tara, also is a Kamehameha graduate. They have three children.

"Now they get to spend time with the cousins and aunties and uncles," Malloe said.

In turn, the Warriors are adding a coach who has great knowledge of defensive concepts, is an experienced recruiter, and has a passion for coaching special teams.

"I'm really excited about this opportunity," said Malloe, who was Texas-El Paso's defensive line coach the past five seasons. "I hope to bring enthusiasm, and help maintain the winning tradition. I'm not a savior. I'm not replacing anybody. I'm not there to be somebody else. I'm there to help as much as I can, and help Hawai'i continue the winning ways."

Malloe was an All-State safety at Kamehameha Schools. He played cornerback, safety and linebacker at Washington.

After his college playing career ended, he was offered a chance to remain with the Huskies as a graduate-assistant coach.

"The one position I didn't know was defensive line," said Malloe, who requested a chance to work with the down linemen.

"I fell in love with it," Malloe added, noting a defensive lineman "can't avoid contact. Every play, you have a deciding factor in it, good or bad. That was a challenge for me."

Malloe was on the Washington coaching staff for five years, before joining Western Illinois as defensive line coach and then special teams coordinator.

When defensive coordinator Tim Hundley moved from Washington to UTEP in 2003, he called Malloe. "It's funny how the world works," Malloe said.

In El Paso, Malloe broadened his recruiting contacts. When the Miners were members of the Western Athletic Conference, Malloe recruited in Utah and Southern California, from San Diego to Ontario.

When the Miners moved to Conference USA, Malloe was assigned East Texas and Louisiana. He said he worked the triangle of Dallas to Shreveport to Houston. He averaged four to five signings per year.

"I love recruiting," Malloe said.

Working diverse areas, he said, "helped to gain experience not only in getting past the door but also closing the door in recruiting."

Malloe said he enjoyed his stay in El Paso, where head coach Mike Price created a family-friendly atmosphere. The UTEP staff was given off the month of July, a vacation time the Malloes spent in Hawai'i.

"It was good to bring my family home," Malloe said. "You're talking about things you cannot put a price to."

Those vacations made Malloe hunger even more for the Islands.

"Every time we'd come back (to El Paso), we'd have to bring back our own rice and shoyu," Malloe said.

Malloe recalled the last football game, in 2004, between UH and UTEP in El Paso.

"I couldn't wait to see coach (Cal) Lee, even though we were competing," Malloe said. "I'm so proud of the (UH) program. I hoped one day I'd have an opportunity to come home."

That came after Greg McMackin was named UH head coach. At the recommendation of Hundley, McMackin's close friend, the Warriors received permission to contact Malloe. UTEP's Price, as much as he valued Malloe, declined to stand in the way.

"No matter where I'm at — Washington, Illinois or El Paso — my heart has always been in Hawai'i," Malloe said.

Malloe is expected to energize the Warriors' special teams. He said UH's schemes will be designed in consultation with McMackin.

"We will be an attacking special teams," Malloe said. "We're going after blocks. We'll try to return kicks for touchdowns."

Malloe said he will preach amassing the "hidden yards" — a battle for field position on punts, punt returns, kickoffs and kick returns.

"My goal, every game, is to win those hidden yards," Malloe said. "We want to get first downs" — gains of more than 10 yards — "on punt returns. Those things people take for granted have an effect on the game."

At Western Illinois, Malloe tutored Mike Scifres, now the San Diego Chargers' punter.

Malloe arrived in Honolulu last night.

He said he will meet with the other UH coaches today, during which he will be told of his specific assignments.

McMackin retained four coaches (Cal Lee, Ron Lee, Rich Miano and George Lumpkin) and, in addition to Malloe, hired three (Nick Rolovich, Brian Smith and Dave Aranda). There is one coaching vacancy remaining.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.