Bass, who was the jewel of the Warriors' 2003 recruiting class, left the team in October, although he did not withdraw from school. He was expected to transfer to another Division I-A school.

But during a recent meeting with Jones, Bass expressed an interest in rejoining the Warriors. Jones said Bass will participate in offseason conditioning drills and compete in spring practice in April.

"It's a matter of him working out and deciding this is what he wants to do," Jones said. "If he's able to prove he wants to play football, it'll be a good thing for him and it'll be a good thing for us."

Because football scholarships are one-year contracts, even though Bass was not a member of the team for two months, he remained on scholarship, with the school picking up his tuition, room and board.

Bass, the younger brother of UH running back Michael Bass, was highly recruited as a senior at Centennial High in Corona, Calif.

Before enrolling at UH, he was timed running 40 yards in 4.31 yards. His vertical jump was measured at 40 inches. The Warriors test their players in 13 speed and strength disciplines once a year, usually a week after the end of spring practice.

Meanwhile, slotback Jason Ferguson, who committed last February, is enrolled at UH this semester and will compete in spring practice. Ferguson, who scored 34 touchdowns as a junior at Fairfax High in Los Angeles and received offers from UCLA and Nebraska, delayed enrolling at UH to allow a knee injury to fully heal. He suffered the injury in the summer before his senior year.

He is receiving a football scholarship.

"It's beautiful out here," said Ferguson. "When I left Los Angeles, I was wearing a sweater."

Another 2003 recruit, defensive lineman Quinn Ah You, is on track to join the Warriors in August.

Junior Ah You said his son, a Kahuku High graduate, has completed the math course needed to fulfill his core requirements and has participated in seminars intended to help improve his SAT score.

"We hope everything works out," Junior Ah You said.