Petit, who is 6 feet 3 and 200 pounds, can run 40 yards in 4.45 seconds.

As a senior at Mater Dei High in Santa Ana, Calif., Petit averaged 21.1 yards per catch in 2001. The Orange County Register named him as one of the top 25 players in the area. The Los Angeles Times and Student Sports Magazine listed him as one of the top receivers.

He redshirted at Colorado State in 2002, but decided to transfer because "I'm a warm-weather person."

The next season, at Saddleback Community College in Mission Viejo, Calif., Petit caught 47 passes for 849 yards and seven touchdowns. He was named to the Mission Conference all-star team.

He was recruited by UH, California, San Diego State, Oregon State and Arizona. Instead, he decided to take off a semester to take care of his father in Australia.

"I fell off the radar," said Petit, who returned to California last month.

Colt Brennan, a teammate at Mater Dei and Saddleback, encouraged Petit to contact the UH coaches. Brennan, a quarterback, took a recruiting visit to UH last month.

Petit sent a highlight tape to the UH coaches, then paid his way for an "unofficial visit" last weekend.

"I spoke with the coaches, and the opportunity for football is very good," he said. "They throw the ball a lot, and I like to catch the ball a lot."

Petit earned an associate degree at Saddleback and is immediately eligible to play this season. He has two years to play two seasons, although he will petition the NCAA to extend his window to three years because he spent last season helping his father.