You know who Colt Brennan is ... but do you really know who Colt Brennan is?
True, after leading Hawaii to a bowl win against Arizona State last year, Brennan's name definitely surfaced on most college football fans' radar, but not many outside of the islands knows about Brennan's story in addition to his potential as a great young quarterback.
It all started back in Laguna Beach, and while it is not known if he ever ran into the castmates of the popular reality series, Colt attended Mater Dei High School, where he backed up another well-known southern Californian, Matt Leinart. Once taking the reigns, Brennan guided Mater Dei to a league championship. While in school, Brennan also was a superb basketball player, and was integral in helping the school win its league title as a senior.
Once Brennan graduated, he went on to Worcester Academy, located in western Massachusetts, where he started for one year. Brennan then committed to the University of Colorado. After his red-shirt season in 2003, Brennan was in the middle of a firestorm of controversy. First, an incident involving a young woman to which Brennan was found guilty of charges of burglary and trespassing.
Brennan decided to enroll at Saddleback Community College, where he led his team to a league championship, and in addition, was named the state's offensive player of the year in 2004. After all of the baggage he came in with, Brennan was able to shed all of it, and became a premiere quarterback during the offseason recruitment period. Despite getting an opportunity to start at Syracuse, Brennan opted to attend the University of Hawaii, where he would take over for Timmy Chang, who became the all-time leading passer while starting for the Warriors.
Brennan was a star in Hawaii from his first start, and managed to lead the nation in passing yards and touchdowns. Despite all of his heroics, the Warriors did not make a bowl appearance, a first for the team in four years. But the expectations surrounding Brennan and Hawaii were enormous entering the '06 season, and Brennan would do nothing to disappoint.
Critics believed that Brennan was the recipient of an easy schedule when he posted his numbers, but he was determined in his junior season to prove that he was, indeed, for real. Brennan passed for an NCAA record in touchdown passes and passer efficiency. The Warriors were dominant in the WAC, especially at home, where Hawaii seems to prosper every year. With a national spotlight shining on Brennan since his first snap of the '06 season, he has yet to disappoint.
After leading his team to a 10-3 mark during the regular season, Brennan and the Warriors took on the ASU Sun Devils in the Hawaii Bowl, a game played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. While the Devils stayed in the game for most of the game, Hawaii proved to be too tough for A-State's defense to handle. Brennan had another incredible game, where he threw for 559 yards and 5 scores in Hawaii's 41-24 victory.
After the game, it seemed as though Brennan would declare himself for the NFL draft. Riding high off of an incredible game and even more astounding career, Brennan was slotted to be chosen in the late first round, but after careful consideration, Brennan decided to return for another year at Hawaii. Although his decision was scrutinized by the national media, Brennan is already reaping the rewards for staying in school for his senior year.
Colt has been installed as a Heisman Trophy favorite after his sixth-place finish in the vote last year, and if Darren McFadden is unable to be the kind of back he was last year, there stands to reason that Brennan could become the first Heisman winner in the history of the University of Hawaii.
Colt Brennan could be playing in preseason games right now with an NFL team, making millions, and realizing a dream shared by every kid playing football. However, Brennan decided that, one, his draft stock could rise even higher than it is now, and two, he is in a place where he is already a legend, and the chance to win another bowl game, and some other postseason hardware, was too much to pass up.
Although he experienced a lot of bumps early in his college career, Brennan has now been slated as the best signal caller in the country, and a dedicated student of the game, as well as in school, Brennan has put himself in the ranks of Steve Young and David Carr as one of the WAC's all-time best QBs, and even further, one of the best to ever play collegiately.
August 13, 2007
palar:
He did have one of the best offensive line and back to pass block. And a corp of pass catchers that go zoom.
August 14, 2007
Steve L:
Do you want to know who Colt Brennan really is? Check out the University of Hawaii www.hawaiiathletics.com and view the “Its a Colt Following” video. He is a very down to earth person. The telling part of his nature comes in his reason for not going to the NFL, “I like the person that I am becoming at UH, so I’m coming back for my senior year.”
August 14, 2007
pouncer84:
Then, he was involved in numerous incidents involving the Buffaloes’ football team, which has been sited numerous times in the last few years for unlawful acts against fellow coeds and recruitment violations.
This statement is wrong. If this was true, Colt would not be on the UH team. June Jones did a background check on Colt and the ONE incident at Colorado, he talked to all of Colt’s coaches both at Colorado & JC. He learned about Colt’s true character and decided to let Colt walk-on at Hawaii.
Colt did a stupid thing in going into that females dormroom, but has learned from it and has grown as a person. He is truly a class act and I am proud to say that he plays for my school/state.
August 15, 2007
Steve L:
Right on Pouncer! I saw that, but I let it go because I knew that he meant to say “the Colorado football program” went on to be involved in numerous incidents. But, I’m glad you set things right - a lot of people don’t know the true story - a lot of people make their mind up based on one news article.
Amen, bruddah Pouncer! Amen!
August 15, 2007
realist:
You see terms like criminal trespass and burglary and you think one thing.
In actuality - as reported in the newspapers - the claim was that he entered a dorm room on his floor, allegedly uninvited. That makes up the trespass claim.
Then, the claim is that although he did eventually leave the room, he did not leave immediately when asked to do so. That makes up the burglary claim.
I suppose it should also be noted that the article also mentioned that during the trial, a female dormmate looked in to the room during the relevant time period, and saw Brennan sitting on the bed, and the claimant sitting at her desk.
So….. I think it is fair to say that there are always two sides to every story.
August 16, 2007
Markus Owens:
Mr. Lyons, you need to learn how to exhaust your sources and produce factual information. I have read your article and wanted to point out numerous “slanderous” comments by you. In the second paragraph, Colt didn’t take over the reigns as a sophomore, he took over as a SENIOR. In the third paragraph, it seems like you blatantly disregarded any facts. (1) Colt did not commit to Colorado but walked on; (2) He never plead guilty to anything in court; however, the jury did find him guilty after the trial; (3) He was never “involved in numerous incidents involving Buffaloes’ football team” - this statement is malicious and slanderous. Now, to do the right thing, you should either correct your article or delete it completely from the web or you might be in for legal trouble in the near future.
August 16, 2007
Marc James:
Markus Owens and others, I have fixed the inaccuracies mentioned and apologize for any incorrect factual information. Thanks for your comments and for reading.
Marc James
Editor/Founder
September 10, 2007
PowderFinger:
Brennan did NOT have a chance to start at Syracuse. He was initially offered by GReg Robinson but the school administration made him rescind the offer. Really a pretty poor job of fact checking here………….