Damien High School football co-head coach Dean Nakagawa can't help but reflect upon how far the Monarchs' program has come in the past four years.

Especially after seeing Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer walking through the halls of Damien's campus in Kalihi on Tuesday.

"Just four years ago, people were ashamed because we were going to forfeit against Saint Louis," Nakagawa said. "They were talking about us losing games 84-0 ... Now we have Phillip Fulmer coming to look at our players. Somehow, he was able to find Damien on the map."

Fulmer is not the only Mainland coach from a major college program to find his way to O'ahu this month.

At Kahuku alone, coaches from Oregon State, Boise State, UNLV, Arizona, Arizona State, Brigham Young, Utah, Utah State and New Mexico State have stopped by for a chat in the past week, as did Fulmer.

Kahuku athletic director Joe Whitford said the Red Raiders expect to send up to 10 players to NCAA Division I programs.

Coaches from Cal, UCLA and Washington also were reported to be in town this week.

A few Hawai'i prospects already have made verbal commitments, including Moanalua quarterback/safety Stanford Leti and linebacker Quinton Tang, both of whom said they accepted scholarship offers from the University of Hawai'i on Tuesday.

Earlier, Konawaena defensive lineman Dylan Rush committed to UCLA and Kamehameha-Maui offensive lineman Walter Kahaiali'i said he will attend BYU.

But for the rest, the process is really starting to heat up now.

One of the most sought-after local recruits is Mililani offensive lineman Micah Kia, whom Fulmer visited at home earlier this week. Kia will travel to Knoxville, Tenn., next week, then Oklahoma the following week and then UCLA.

He already made an official visit to Oregon State, where former Hawai'i offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh now works. Cavanaugh and Oregon State head coach Mike Riley flew into Hono-lulu last weekend and met with Kamehameha coach Doss Tannehill before visiting Kahuku.

Rivals.com, a popular national recruiting Web site, ranks Kahuku No. 4 in the country among high schools producing Division I-A football talent.

That might have been well known in Mainland coaching circles, but now — as Nakagawa said — even Damien is on the map.

Fulmer is particularly interested in the Monarchs' Lolomana Mikaele, a 6-foot-2, 250-pound defensive lineman. But Damien also has recruiters looking at running back Kealoha Pilares, defensive lineman/linebacker Michael Sipili and offensive lineman Eddie Williams.

"I'm proud of all of our guys, and I like the way they're dealing with this," Nakagawa said. "They're staying humble."

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.