For Pereese Joas, happiness is makapiapia-eyed morning practices, a depth chart that isn’t deep enough to include his name, and meetings and study sessions that last into the evening.

"I’m blessed," said Joas, a walk-on running back for the University of Hawaii football team.

Joas has a jersey number, a spot on this week’s 64-player travel roster, and a minor role in the Warriors’ game plan against San Jose State.

Joas, who moved from Texas two years ago, impressed the UH coaches during a tryout for potential walk-on players in February 2013. But he had not accumulated enough transferrable credits to be added to the spring roster.

And that should have been that. But Joas became the guest who wouldn’t leave. Every day he worked out on his own on Ching field, the grass practice field, or any available open space.

He attached a parachute-like contraption to his back as part of resistance training. He ran cone and ladder drills, often without cones or roped ladders. And he carried a football everywhere.

Joas had few possessions, but his most prized was his long hair.

"It was something like a journey I went through," said Joas, each inch of hair like pencil marks on a wall marking growth. "My hair meant a lot to me."

But one of the Warriors’ rules was short hair, a safety measure to prevent helmets from dislodging during games. Joas decided to cut his hair, even though he still was not a member of the team.

"It was more important to play football than to keep my hair," Joas said. "I made the sacrifice because I love the game. I want to be able to help and contribute as much as possible."

Joas did not qualify to play during the 2013 fall semester nor the 2014 spring semester. He had been attending school on a Parent PLUS Loan. But the renewal was not immediately approved after the spring semester.

He said he used what remained on his meal card to buy energy bars and peanut butter. He said he "packed it in a backpack and survived on that."

At night, he admitted, "I was pretty much walking around Waikiki trying to find a place to sleep."

The loan was eventually approved. He then was invited to join the Warriors in the middle of summer training camp.

Joas was not listed in the UH media guide distributed in August. He was on the scout offense. But injuries opened a rotation spot at running back. He was summoned, although for the first two weeks was given a numberless white jersey.

Joas, who has played in three games and made two road trips, has rushed four times for 25 yards, an average of 6.2 yards per carry. During an intrasquad scrimmage this week, he scored an 80-yard touchdown on a screen play.

"It’s definitely faith," Joas said. "You definitely have to believe something good is going to happen. You never want to give up. I stayed strong in myself. I believed one day something good was going to happen. I’m grateful and blessed."