University of Hawaii football player Cameron Hayes is indeed a fast cornerback.

Hayes, who is completing his first full year at UH, is on a remarkable academic pace, having already amassed 49 college credits. He is on the fast track to earn a bachelor’s degree at the end of his sixth UH semester.

“My mom always stressed the importance of school,” Hayes said. “She said: ‘Without education, you’re not anything. If you get that degree, that’s something nobody can take away from you.’”

Hayes received a head start from the college courses offered during his junior and senior years at Juniero Serra College in Gardena, Calif. He accumulated 12 college-applicable credits in science and business.

While many of last year’s freshman players enrolled in UH’s bridge program — two courses offered in the special session preceding the fall semester — Hayes could not participate because he was a “blue shirt” whose 2015 scholarship counted toward the 2016 recruiting class. Hayes took a full load of classes during the 2015-2016 academic year.

“It’s a long day,” Hayes said of a schedule of practice, classes, meetings and study hall. “I have to keep the right balance.”

Hayes said he draws inspiration from his mother, Dedrian Hayes, who has worked as an accountant with Time Warner and then Warner Bros. Each morning she drove an hour to drop off her son at Juniero Serra, then another hour’s drive to work.

“Her work ethic pushes me to do well in school and football and anything in life,” Hayes said. “She never complains. She always has a smile on her face. That’s what keeps me going.”

In November, Nick Rolovich was hired as successor to head coach Norm Chow. Rolovich said Hayes was on a “watch list when we got here.” Two cornerbacks who were among Hayes’s mentors were not returning. Ne’Quan Phillips graduated, and Nick Nelson decided to transfer.

The question, Rolovich recalled of Hayes, was: “What was his mind-set like?”

That was clarified during a one-on-one meeting, when Hayes assured Rolovich of his commitment to the program.

Hayes then played well during spring training. He has made some key plays in the first three practices of training camp.

“He was one of the biggest turnarounds,” Rolovich said. “He has taken his commitment to the football field to another level. You see him making more plays because of that.”

Hayes is in the rotation at both corner positions. He again is taking a course load geared toward his interests in business and law. Again, he vows to be in compliance with his mother’s rules.

“You can’t have any C’s on your report card,” Hayes said, smiling.