Today, it's a life of pure devotion for Troy Matautia.

There's been room for humor, too. His favorite teacher, Steven Miyashiro, keeps it real on a daily basis for the Waipahu football star.

“;He's down to earth, straight up,”; said Matautia, who reversed field in the classroom last year.

“;I'm his favorite teacher? I think he just realized he might have a chance to play in college,”; Miyashiro said. “;We're all happy.”;

Seeing Troy head out for a lunchtime photo shoot, Miyashiro offers his bushy-haired student some sage advice: “;You want to borrow a comb? How about a hat?”;

At Waipahu, no star gets very far without a couple of jabs. Troy smiles.

He loves it.

  BUS RIDES on the A Express. Countless hours in the weight room. Running with teammates on the stadium bleachers at Masa Yonamine Athletic Complex. The past year was about commitment for Matautia, a 5-foot-6, 200-pound senior who bench-presses 250 pounds and squats 405.

The result? The Waipahu Marauders reached the OIA playoffs in their return to the Red Conference (Division I). Matautia moved from quarterback to running back and rushed for 1,227 yards—best in the state—in only nine games. His 15 rushing touchdowns were second in Hawaii, but he also had a touchdown by punt return, threw for two more scores and finished with 1,915 all-purpose yards. Only Punahou's Dalton Hilliard (20 total touchdowns) and Robby Toma (19) accounted for as many scores.

After a season-ending playoff loss to Kaimuki, the Marauders didn't lower their “;Black Flag”; in defeat. They embraced their foes, the hard-hitting Bulldogs, and accepted the end. Once he got home, though, everything hit him right in the gut. Football as a Marauder was over. Tote Tolevao, his mom, had sure words for her youngest child.

“;God's going to bless you,”; she told him. “;The season you had was great, and He has more in His plan for you.”;

Four years ago, it was the son who had consoled the mother. She split from Troy's father, Aneterea Matautia, who wasn't quite the role model for their four children. He agreed to leave.

A year later, Troy's half-brother, Travis Tolevao, ran into trouble in California while playing football at a junior college. One night, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The former Waipahu standout soon found himself in prison for many years.

“;He was loyal to people who had no loyalty to him,”; Marauders coach Sean Saturnio said.

At home, Troy saw the tears and heard the prayers. The family stuck together with help from Troy's uncle, Al Lafaele, and Al's father, Pastor Eddie Lafaele.

“;Before, I didn't care. Now (Travis) is serving five years,”; Troy said. “;What if I went to college and did something to hurt my mom? Of all the guys that left Hawaii, they never thought he would get in trouble.”;

  BY 2007, TROY WAS FALLING. The new starting quarterback wasn't ready for success.

“;I was walking around campus like I was the man, but I forgot to take care of business with grades, going to meetings, studying the playbook,”; he said. “;Coach (Saturnio) showed me this scripture. It was a humbling experience 'cause it makes sense.”;

The simple sentence: “;For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”; The biblical passage pierced to the heart of Troy, who rarely saw his dad. Aneterea hasn't been around in three years.

“;I'm not mad at him. My mom taught us to love him and pray for him,”; Troy said.

It was homecoming night in 2005 when Troy carried the ball for the JV team. Across the athletic complex, standing on the pedestrian bridge, was his dad.

“;Before the game, he told me, 'Just play and have fun.' I kept looking up to the bridge,”; Troy said. “;I thought I'd see him later.”;

By the second half, dad was gone.

Times have been tough for the family. “;There were some nights we had to go to bed with empty stomachs, but my mom always did her best for us,”; Troy said. “;When I needed gloves and tape (for football), she couldn't provide that and she'd cry. We'd pray to God before we went to sleep.

“;She did her best. She kept her faith.”;

Today, the family once separated—sisters Tatiana and Tycia lived with relatives for a while—has reunited. Troy has a message for his dad.

“;God loves you. We love you and we forgive you,”; he said. “;I miss his hamburgers. He had a secret recipe.”;

He has a message for Travis, too.

“;We miss you and we love you. Just hang in there. God will provide a way for you to come out.”;

Troy is hard on the gridiron, a human bowling ball with amazing field vision, unmatched cutback skill and great breakaway speed. Coaches at the Hawaii-Poly team practices this week are seeing all of that firsthand. Matautia will show more of his game on Friday when the team plays the Mainland squad at Aloha Stadium.

“;He can fit into any offense. They'll be shocked at the things he can do,”; Saturnio said.

When the pads are off, Matautia is vulnerable. Teachers and friends watch out for him.

“;When his faith grew, so did his ability to overcome adversity,”; Saturnio said.

Matautia hopes to watch out for Waipahu's youth one day as a coach.

“;The kids, I hope they turn to God and trust Him. Calm down and grab a scripture from the bible and read into Him,”; Troy said. “;And keep up the grades so they can play more football.”;