In recent football practices, University of Hawaii cornerback Brian Clay Jr. has worn a yellow jersey to indicate he is recovering from an injured biceps on his right arm.

Every day, he wears an orange band on his left wrist as a reminder that adversity is relative.

"It’s an MS band," Clay said. "My mother has multiple sclerosis."

MS is a chronic disease that attacks the central-nervous system. Mary Jane Clay was diagnosed with MS when her son was a freshman at Will C. Wood High in Vacaville, Calif.

"She’s been battling it for a while," said Clay, a third-year sophomore for the Rainbow Warriors.

He said his mom was initially diagnosed when she began experiencing memory lapses. "My senior year in high school, she lost mobility in her legs," Clay said. "She’s wheelchair-bound now."

As a high school senior, Clay pondered several options, including retiring from football. His parents encouraged him to follow his heart. Clay signed with UH.

"It was hard, but my mom wanted the best for me," Clay said. "She knew college was my only option. She wanted me to continue my football career. She was happy I came out here to continue it."

Clay has used his free time to help promote awareness of the disease.

"We had a couple of rallies," Clay said. "We had a couple of races for it. We did a couple of charity events for it. We want to spread awareness."

It also is why he wears the orange band, even during practices and games.

"I’m trying to bring a little bit of awareness to everybody," Clay said.

Clay was set to redshirt as a UH freshman in 2011. But UH needed help on special teams, and he was added to the active roster for that season’s fifth game. He played in eight games that year, all on special teams.

After Norm Chow was hired as UH head coach in December 2011, Clay decided to redshirt in 2012 to learn the new defensive system. He had a 4.0 grade-point average that semester.

This training camp, Clay is in the rotation at cornerback, although he is viewed as a future safety. He missed four practices with what was diagnosed as a "deep contusion" of his biceps. He has been cleared to participate in drills again.

"Brian Clay is a tremendous person and player," Chow said. "He went through a lot. He worked hard, and he bought into what we’re doing. He’s all in."

Clay said: "I definitely wanted to play for him."

After most practices, strength coach Gary Beemer makes the Rainbow Warriors run gassers — a series of sideline-to-sideline sprints with short breaks.

Many players are left gasping.

"I thank God," Clay said. "For me, running is such a blessing. My mom loves to see me run. That’s why no bruise is going to keep me out of the game."