Colt Brennan Blog

Here’s the AP:

HONOLULU (AP) — Unbeaten. Record-breaking. Western Athletic Conference champion. Maybe BCS bound.

All apply to Colt Brennan and Hawaii.

The Warriors’ prolific passer threw five touchdowns to break the major college career record as No. 14 Hawaii beat No. 17 Boise State 39-27 Friday night to win its first outright WAC title.

Brennan had a message to anyone who still doubts his team is one of the nation’s best.

“That’s three weeks in a row the so-called experts and critics out there said we were going to lose and we didn’t,” he said. “Obviously they need to re-check what they’re doing because they’re wrong.”

Does Hawaii deserve to go to a BCS bowl?

Tonight’s game against Boise State will help answer that question.

Game previews:

Honolulu Advertiser.   Second story.  Third story.

Star-Bulletin.   Second story.

If not for a recruit decommitting, Boise QB Taylor Tharp may have ended up at Hawaii.

The Star Bulletin explains:

Taylor Tharp was on the Brink of becoming a Warrior.

If Alex Brink hadn’t changed his commitment to Washington State four years ago, Tharp might have been the quarterback for Hawaii tomorrow instead of Boise State when the teams meet for the Western Athletic Conference championship at Aloha Stadium.

Things worked out pretty well for the Warriors and Broncos. UH ended up with Colt Brennan at quarterback, a former walk-on who will finish his storied career in a few weeks as the greatest football player in the school’s history.

In Tharp, the Broncos have a capable replacement for three-year starter Jared Zabransky. The senior, who had never started a game before this year, has led BSU to a 10-1 record and is closing in on 3,000 yards and 30 touchdown passes.

In 2003, when Brennan was a freshman at Colorado, Tharp (who’s father, Dick, was the Buffaloes’ athletic director) was a high school senior. He was leaning toward UH, especially since Boise State had a quarterback in its recruiting class and Hawaii didn’t.

According to College Football News, Brennan is the sixth best player in college football — between Todd Reesing of undefeated Kansas and Matt Forte of Tulane.

Player of the week
Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell completed 47 of 72 passes fro 420 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions, and ran 12 yards for a score in the win over Oklahoma.

1. QB Tim Tebow, Soph. Florida
Tebow completed 25 of 34 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns with an interception, and ran 11 times for 31 yards and a touchdown, in the 59-20 win over Florida Atlantic.

2. QB Chase Daniel, Jr. Missouri
Daniel completed 28 of 41 passes for 284 yards and four touchdowns, and ran for four yards, in the 49-32 win over Kansas State.

3. QB Pat White, Jr. West Virginia
White completed 13 of 19 passes for 140 yards and an interception, and ran 27 times for 155 yards and two scores in the 28-23 win over Cincinnati.

4. DT Glenn Dorsey, Sr. LSU
Dorsey made two tackles in the 41-24 win over Ole Miss.

5. QB Todd Reesing, Soph. Kansas
Reesing completed 21 of 26 passes for 253 yards and four touchdowns, and ran for five yards in the 45-7 win over Iowa State.

6. QB Colt Brennan, Sr. Hawaii
Brennan completed two of two pass for 21 yards in the 28-26 win over Nevada.

7. RB Matt Forte, RB Tulane
Forte ran 39 times for 194 yards and five touchdowns, and caught a pass for 51 yards in the 45-31 win over Rice.

• Hawaii QB #2, Tyler Graunke, won the WAC offensive player of the week.  Dan Kelly, meanwhile, won WAC ST player of the week.
• ESPN:  Hawaii gets schedule penalty while Kansas gets a pass
• Dick Vitale on Hawaii:  “What a dream season for Hawaii football. June Jones’ team won another nailbiter over Nevada last week. Colt Brennan was on the sideline but Hawaii found a way to get to the winner’s circle. Next up is a challenge for the WAC title against Boise State.”
• From the Idaho Statesman:  Brennan says he’s 100 percent

While at first the big story was the non-playing status of Colt, the larger story became the steady play of backup JR Tyler Graunke and the clutch kicking of Dan Kelly.

Colt played in the first series of the game, throwing two passes and completing both.  Tyler Graunke was the starter — according to ESPN, and several other sources, June Jones decided it would be best for Colt and his future to sit him out this game.

Graunke completed 33 of 46 passes for 358 yards, 2 TDs and no picks.

Dan Kelly kicked the winning FG in the closing minute.

UH improves to a perfect 10-0 on the season.  Because of the close score, it’s entirely possible Hawaii won’t move up much in the BCS standings.  Next week, though, will be the true test of how much Hawaii can move up — it plays BCS top 20 team Boise State in what may very well be the biggest game in the history of UH athletics.

After the game,  Jones said Colt would play next week.

Honolulu Advertiser.

ESPN yesterday retracted its report that Brennan would not play, citing “misinformation.” UH spokesman Derek Inouchi said it will be a “game-time” decision.

StarBulletin: Brennan would play if game were today, Jones says

Nevada Appeal: Brennan set to break record against Nevada

Honolulu Advertiser: Colt practices and expected to start; Colt to be on PTI

From the Honolulu Advertiser:

Hawai’i quarterback Colt Brennan yesterday said he feels he is “close to 100″ percent, has not experienced any adverse side effects from a concussion suffered Saturday, and wants to play in Friday’s nationally televised road game against Nevada.

Head coach June Jones said Brennan will be held out of today’s practice as a precaution, and his condition will be evaluated tonight.

The Warriors practice tomorrow morning, and depart for Reno in the afternoon. Asked about being added to the 64-player travel roster, Brennan said: “I’m going. The way I feel right now — I haven’t had any symptoms — I have to think that I’d at least be in the discussion to play on Friday.”

He acknowledged a decision will be based on long-term ramifications and the rest period needed to minimize a recurrence.

Good news from today’s Star Bulletin:

His condition was later described as a “mild concussion,” and a UH official described Brennan as “day-to-day” when it comes to football duties. Brennan did not require hospitalization.

Coach June Jones said he does not expect Brennan to miss Friday’s game at Nevada.

Neither does Brennan’s father.

Colt was knocked out of the UH-Fresno State game with a grade 3 concussion, according to the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Colt was hurt in a helmet-to-helmet hit by a Fresno State player. Hawaii was victorious, 37-30.

A grade 3 concussion is considered the most severe type of concussion.

Obviously, as more information becomes available, I’ll post more about the injury.

Please pray and hope for a speedy recovery for Colt.

Update:  Writes the SB:  “Brennan was diagnosed with a mild concussion, upgraded from a more severe concussion.”

From a UH press release:  “I’m doing fine,” Brennan said after the game. “I’d like to thank everyone for the support they gave out there. I’m looking forward to getting back on the field for next week’s game against Nevada.”

The Star-Bulletin previews the upcoming Hawaii — Fresno State game.