2007 Heisman Watch: Colt Brennan

Last season, Colt Brennan threw for 5,549 passing yards, an NCAA record 58 touchdowns and only 12 interceptions. During his two seasons in coach June Jones’ aerial attack, the Warriors' gunslinger has completed 756 of his 1,074 pass attempts (70.4 percent) for 9,850 yards, 93 scoring strikes and 25 interceptions.

After serving as Matt Leinart’s backup at California powerhouse Mater Dei High School, the Laguna Beach native spent a postgraduate year at Worcester Academy in Massachusetts before enrolling at the University of Colorado.

Athlon's 2007 Heisman Watch

But while in Boulder, Brennan encountered a sexual assault accusation during an already rocky time for the Buffaloes football program. Although the case was dismissed due to lack of evidence, Brennan, then a redshirt freshman, was kicked off the team and forced to transfer to Saddleback (Calif.) Community College, where he led the team to a conference championship and was named California Offensive Player of the Year.

More important, Brennan’s performance at Saddleback attracted the attention of Jones and the University of Hawaii coaching staff, who offered him an opportunity to compete for the Warriors starting quarterback job right away. Brennan earned the job and has exceeded all possible expectations since becoming the successor to record-breaking Hawaii quarterback Timmy Chang.

Hawaii Team Preview

Now, the reigning WAC Player of the Year and Sammy Baugh Trophy winner is aiming to improve his status in the NCAA record book and the Heisman Trophy ballot box. After finishing sixth in last season’s Heisman Trophy voting, Brennan enters the 2007 season with an arsenal of receiving weapons — including highlight reel junior Davone Bess — and a schedule that could allow Hawaii to make a run at a Bowl Championship Series bid and undefeated season.

With 93 career touchdowns passes, Brennan is well within striking distance of Ty Detmer’s NCAA record of 121 career touchdown passes (127 counting bowl game statistics). To put the record in historical perspective, when Detmer set the mark in 1990, the former BYU quarterback hoisted the Heisman Trophy later that year.

Why he’ll be holding the hardware: After averaging 46.5 touchdown passes per season over his first two years at Hawaii, the soon to be 24-year-old senior is on pace to finish his career with 140 touchdowns through the air. That will shatter Detmer’s NCAA record and draw plenty of attention. But in order to establish himself as a realistic Heisman Trophy contender, Brennan must lead Hawaii to an undefeated season and BCS berth — which could come down to a high-profile match-up with WAC rival Boise State.

Why he’ll be left out: If a quarterback rewrites the NCAA record book and no one is watching, does he make a sound in the Heisman Trophy race? Brennan doesn’t have to overcome the so-called “West Coast bias,” he has to deal with a “Pacific Ocean bias.” With limited national television exposure — other than highlights and statistics — it will be difficult for Brennan to mount a Heisman Trophy campaign on the mainland.

Final analysis: With little opposition in his way, Brennan will ride a wave of touchdown passes and end zone hula dances all the way to the Heisman Trophy ceremony in New York City, where he will be one of the finalists for the most coveted award in college football.
 
2006 Stat Line