In his first four University of Hawaii football seasons, Jonah Kahahawai-Welch missed 39 games because of injuries and untimely rotational opportunities.

But he never missed waking up to blessings.

“Every day I’m grateful for what God has given me — the ability to wake up and do what I love to do, to play football,” said Kahahawai-Welch, a senior rush end from Kamehameha Schools. “I know there’s somebody out there who has a life that’s much different from mine. Words are hard to describe that feeling when you know you’re blessed.”

Kahahawai-Welch is determined to pay it forward during weekends when there are no football obligations. He will invite teammates to participate in what the One Love Church refers to as “prayer walks.” The players will help at homeless shelters, distribute food to those living on the streets, and lend an ear to those who want to voice their frustrations.

“We believe in the three C’s — celebration, compassion and community,” Kahahawai-Welch said of Our Love’s mission. “We serve people in the community. That’s what it’s all about. In Hawaii, we have a high homeless rate. Hawaii is a beautiful place, but people don’t always see the other side of it sometimes. I’m a local boy. This is my community. … It’s about serving. I really think it’s our calling as Warriors, as a team, as fellowship. It’s a not-about-you mentality. In life, you never know what somebody else is going through, what they’re waking up to today. I truly believe we can serve others on a daily basis.”

When he encounters people struggling with homelessness and depression, Kahahawai-Welch said, “it hits deeper than anything else. It goes to your heart and your blood. This is culture. This is where we’re from. This is where we grew up.”

On Thursday, Kahahawai-Welch was named to the watch list for the Wuerffel Trophy for the college football player who best combines athletic and academic achievement with community service. Kahahawai-Welch credited his parents — David Welch, a construction worker, and Joy Kahahawai-Welch, a high school counselor.

“My dad taught me at a young age what hard work is,” Kahahawai-Welch said. “Just seeing the sacrifices he made. He didn’t get to go to college. He needed to provide at an early age. Just from that, it showed his selflessness and who he is as a person.”

When Kahahawai-Welch struggled to find playing time, he recalled the weekends working with his father. “I used to spill the (wheelbarrow) all the time by mistake and drop the cement on the ground,” he said. “I learned my lesson, for sure, and it builds character at the end of the day.”

He said his mother viewed “many students as her kids, and a lot of kids saw her as a second mother or guidance in their lives.”

He said his mother taught him “to work with different types of people — people who like you, people who don’t, people who argue with you, and people who will agree. You have to learn how to communicate.”

He said his parents’ combined advice of working diligently and communicating with others has been useful in his role as the “dog,” the hybrid outside linebacker/defensive end position. “You have to communicate with the linebackers and safeties behind you to convert the play and make a successful outcome,” said Kahahawai-Welch, who has been practicing with the first-team defense.

In the Warriors’ multiple-front schemes, defensive coordinator Jacob Yoro said, Kahahawai-Welch is used in the same role as former UH pass-rush specialist Kaimana Padello.

“There are a lot of similarities in the way Jonah and Kaimana go about business,” Yoro said. “They’re very workmanlike. They don’t do a lot of talking. They do the little things we’re asking. Their understanding of the scheme is at (a) high level, and they have a great motor every single play.”