Got a few minutes to spare?

FIU defensive back and special teams captain O'Darris D'Haiti could probably use them.

Minutes are quite precious to D'Haiti, a senior walk-on, whose daily schedule is nothing like that of the typical student-athlete.

``O'Darris is an inspiration to me,'' FIU defensive back Peter Riley said. ``Because he has so much going on that most people now a days want to chill out. He's like a 35-year-old in a 21-year-old's body. He has his head on straight and the future is looking bright for him.''

Three years ago, D'Haiti arrived at FIU as an occupational therapy major and wanted to walk-on. But the previous FIU coaching staff did not have a walk-on program.

D'Haiti finally got his shot when Mario Cristobal became FIU's coach in 2007 and started a walk-on program.

SHOWING RESILIENCE

D'Haiti was cut on his first tryout, but made the team on his second.

``I was so excited to be on the team,'' D'Haiti said. ``I just thought to what my mom always tells me: whatever doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. With all the stuff that goes on everyday, practice is fun. It's kind of like a reliever for me.''

D'Haiti's day begins by cooking breakfast, preparing lunch and walking his sister Gabrielle to school near his North Miami home. His mother, Adell Washington, travels to Fort Lauderdale by 6 a.m. each day to drive a bus.

After dropping off his sister, D'Haiti bikes to FIU's Biscayne Bay campus in North Miami Beach to take a shuttle to the school's main campus in Miami, where he arrives around noon to prepare for practice.

D'Haiti usually doesn't finish practice because he has to leave for classes -- where he's doing just fine. His grade point average is nearly 3.0 and he is set to graduate in the spring.

After the last class of the day, D'Haiti takes the final shuttle back to the north campus, where he arrives around 9 p.m., and rides his bike home.

``O'Darris sees that I struggle some times and he helps me out a lot,'' Adell said. ``He's a good kid and I know that he's tired, but he never complains.''

Even when D'Haiti lost his job that helps him pay for school.

D'Haiti worked at the information desk at the Biscayne Bay Campus, but his hectic schedule made him late a few too many times and eventually he was let go.

After meeting with his supervisor, Joe Mintz, and talking about his situation, D'Haiti was rehired and now works 15-hour shifts on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

``It was an issue of a lot of miscommunication between O'Darris, me and my superiors,'' Mintz said. ``No one is perfect and I understand that he could be late. I know when they play away games, the plane usually lands in Miami around 4 or 5 a.m. and he has to get to work at 8 a.m. I have the highest admiration for what OD does: keeping a busy schedule and helping his family.''

So do his teammates.

DEDICATION

``For me being on campus is tough enough to schedule around football and classes,'' defensive back Dez Johnson said. ``But for OD to do what he does that's dedication to family and football. That's kind of cool.''

Recently, D'Haiti saved enough money to buy a car, but he still takes the shuttle to the Miami campus.

If the NFL does not work out next year for D'Haiti -- who led FIU with two blocked punts last season and became a starting defensive back this season -- then he's ready to return to FIU to earn a master's degree in occupational therapy.

``He's a perfect example of a guy that puts it in perspective for everyone out there that ever has a complaint about being too tired or too much to do,'' Cristobal said. ``He's what you want your guys to be like: hard working, make no excuses, find a way to get it done and just overcome and he does that week in and week out.''

And minute by minute.