FIELD OF DREAMS
No Passing Fancy
Itinerant quarterback Colt Brennan finds a home with Hawaii's run and shoot
No roads lead to Hawaii, but when it comes to the state's college football team, Manoa is a destination for athletes and coaches from every region of the United States and two other continents.
The UH football field is a gathering place for all kinds of people from all kinds of places. A cowboy from Detroit, like defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville. An offensive lineman from Australia, like Adrian Thomas. A wide receiver who went to high school in Germany, like Malcolm Lane.
Quarterback Colt Brennan is from everywhere.
In the past four years, he's been the starter at Mater Dei High School (following Matt Leinart), at Worcester Academy in Massachusetts, a freshman walk-on at Colorado, a JUCO standout at Saddleback Community College, and last season, a rising star at UH.
Brennan led the nation in passing yards (4,301), total offense (4,455) and touchdowns (35), setting him up as the WAC's preseason offensive player of the year and the most highly touted quarterback this side of the Golden Dome.
This is the first time Brennan returns to the same team as a starter. And he likes it.
"I was realizing the other day I hopped around from school to school to school. I was at five different schools in five years, and this is the first time I've ever been at a school two years in a row since high school. I'm all fired up because of the comfort level and the camaraderie and the chemistry and how much fun we're having," said Brennan, who spits out answers as quickly as he racks up passing yardage.
"I've never experienced it at this level before. I love everything about it. I love the potential. I love the chance to do something great. I'll just keep working and hopefully do something special in the next couple of weeks (in the season opener at Alabama)."
Coach June Jones said Brennan is the most talented quarterback he's had in his eight years at UH, including Dan Robinson, Nick Rolovich and Tim Chang. But he wasn't always sure Brennan would pick up the run-and-shoot offense well enough to reach his potential in the wide-open four-receiver set.
And Brennan's penchant for freelancing tested Jones' patience. Brennan's scrambling was often successful, but it drove the coach batty.
"I was, last year, kind of scared to death, even though I didn't show it," Jones said. "This year, at least when I call a play I know Colt knows what the play is, so that's positive."
But Jones quickly grew to appreciate Brennan's moxie. And after looking at his game tape from 2005 as a complete body of work, the coach realized Brennan had actually just had a great season. It certainly wasn't his fault UH finished 5-7, with more losses than wins for only the second time in Jones' tenure.
Jones also saw the future, and it looked very, very good.
"He led the country in yards, and completing almost 70 percent of his passes, and he led the nation in touchdown passes and didn't have a clue what we were doing," the coach said. "That gives you an idea the kind of competitor he is. In the spring, and really (against) Wisconsin and San Diego State last year, I could tell the light was coming on and he was starting to understand."
Brennan's continued improvement is a key to the 2006 season. Even more important, though, is better defense. That falls on Glanville, and not just his ability to motivate, but to actually teach.
"We feel like the kids have really responded to Jerry, which I knew they would," Jones said. "We had a lot different toughness last year that we hadn't had and now we have to put it together and take a big step up."
Special teams must also get better, and bringing in Dennis McKnight -- who coached that segment of the game at UH in 1999 and 2000 -- can only help.
Still, whether fans who remember the old Pineapple Crush defense days like it or not, the offense is the heart of Hawaii football while Jones is in charge.
In Colt Brennan, he has his triggerman, as well as a posse of talented receivers.
Yes, no roads lead to Hawaii. But there are plenty of airways.