It doesn't take long to determine what the Mapu family thinks about the University of Tennessee.

"Rocky Top, speak to me," Simi Mapu said as he answered his phone Wednesday.

The Mapus' Big Orange excitement doesn't stop there.

Simi Mapu said there's no doubt his son, defensive lineman J.T. Mapu, is headed back to Tennessee once his two-year Mormon mission is completed in July.

"It's called commitment," the elder Mapu said. "The school was committed to him since he's signed and he's committed to them."

J.T. Mapu will live in East Houston, Texas, for six more months before returning home to Hawaii in early July. Simi Mapu said he hopes his son will be released in time to enroll at UT for the second summer school session. If not, Simi Mapu said his son will be back at UT in August.

"He sure has matured," Simi Mapu said. "That's one of the things we hoped for when he went on his mission."

Contact between J.T. Mapu and his family have been limited. He is only allowed to call home twice a year, Christmas and Mother's Day. Simi Mapu said e-mail is the primary way of keeping in touch. He said his son recently sent him pictures of himself.

"He looked good," is the way Simi Mapu described J.T., who weighs 300 pounds. "Not a sloppy 300, but I know he's got some work to do."

That may be an understatement considering there's no weight training where J.T. Mapu is staying. A weekly basketball hour has been his primary way of staying in shape.

The Mapus recently hosted UT coach Phillip Fulmer and defensive ends coach Steve Caldwell as the two were recruiting players in Hawaii. UT is recruiting Micah Kia from Mililani High School.

Fulmer and Caldwell visited with J.T. Mapu's brother, Daniel, who is still recovering from a serious traffic accident suffered in August of 2003.

J.T. Mapu could be a huge pickup for the Vols who lost three starting defensive linemen this season. The only returning defensive lineman, junior Justin Harrell, is considering the NFL.

Mapu was an immediate contributor as a freshman. He played in 12 games at defensive end in 2002.

The following year, he started 11 games at defensive tackle as a sophomore. Mapu had 26 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss including two sacks and four quarterback hurries. UT coaches raved about his potential before his departure.