The greatest challenge for a National Football League rookie, it has been said, is adjusting to the speed of the pro game.

It was that way for former University of Hawai'i returner/receiver Chad Owens, whose first season with the Jacksonville Jaguars was reduced to a nine-day emotional blur.

"It was a learning experience," said Owens, who went from being the steal of the 2005 draft to the rookie sensation of training camp to the obscurity of the Jaguars' practice squad.

Owens is back in Hawai'i, at least through late March, working out daily and enjoying time with his wife and two children. He reports to the Jaguars' mini-camp in April.

"I was happy I was able to go through the year," he said. "It's done. I'm back home. I get to relax. I look forward to bigger and better things."

It appeared 2005 would be Owens' wonder year. After an impressive training camp, he made the Jaguars' opening-day roster.

But in the second game, a 10-3 loss to Indianapolis, Owens fumbled away two punts and lost control of another. Two days later, he was released.

After clearing waivers, which made him a free agent, he agreed to an offer to join the Jaguars' practice squad. A member of that unit is not eligible for games or travel, and receives a weekly salary of $4,350. If he had lasted through six games, he would have earned the NFL rookie minimum of $230,000 for the season, or $13,529 per week.

"I'm glad I got a chance to stay with the team," Owens said. "I could have easily been back here not doing anything. I was happy to be there, to be able to learn."

At the end of the regular season, according to agent Leo Goeas, Owens was approached by four teams, including the San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears. Owens decided to stay put, signing a one-year contract.

"I'm a Jaguar," Owens said. "I'll leave it at that."

Because Owens was not on the active roster for at least six games, he still is regarded as a first-year player under the NFL's pay scale. The NFL minimum salary is $235,000 for a first-year player for the 2006 season.

Owens, who received a $78,000 bonus when he signed his original contract with the Jaguars, did not receive a signing bonus for the current contract.

But Owens was granted two key concessions. Instead of the standard split contract — in which he would receive half his salary if he landed on the injured list for an extended period — he will be paid in full should he suffer an injury while on the Jaguars' roster.

He also will not be required to play in NFL Europe. "They wanted him to go there, but they were OK with him staying in the conditioning program here," Goeas said.

"If I were single, I'd probably go," Owens said. "But, no, I don't feel I need to go. I'll just work on things I need to work on. I won't be as tired, like I would be if I had to come off of a 10-game season" in Europe.

Owens said he expects to enter the mini-camps with more focus.

He admitted that last fall, "mentally, I wasn't there. I wasn't 100 percent focused. There were some things, things I don't want to talk about, that probably played a role in it. I'm going into this year free of everything. I'll be focused on football. That's all."

He also said he will adhere to UH coach June Jones' philosophy of not dwelling on mistakes.

"Like we used to say: 'One snap and clear,' " Owens said. "I don't want to make any mistakes. But if I make a mistake, I'll keep working on getting better."

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.