Hawai'i quarterback Colt Brennan was the last to know.

Even when his head coach, his league's commissioner, and, as he noted, "everyone and his grandmother" knew he would be named a Heisman Trophy finalist, Brennan was not sure.

After all, Brennan produced the best statistical season by a quarterback in NCAA history last year, yet did not receive an invitation as a finalist to the 2006 Heisman ceremony in New York.

This year, despite leading the Warriors to the NCAA Division I-A's only unbeaten regular season, he was not named as a finalist for any of the quarterback awards.

"Disappointing," he said of the snubs. "I mean, how can you be up for the Heisman if you're not up for the other awards?"

And so he refused to listen "to all of the speculation," as he called it, even after he was booked for a flight to New York for tomorrow's ceremony.

It was when he received the official Heisman invitation Wednesday, that's when he knew.

"It was great when it finally went through," Brennan said. "It was cool to know."

But Mike Harp knew.

Harp was head coach of Brennan's first football team, which played in the Junior American division in Irvine, Calif.

Even back then, when 9-year-old Brennan was known as "Hollywood" because of his blond hair and confident demeanor, Harp realized his quarterback was "something special."

In pass-league games, Harp recalled, "it wasn't unusual for Colt to go 9 of 10 or 10 of 10 on drives."

Brennan was tried at safety, and then at running back until the replacement quarterback fumbled the snap four times in a game.

"But he belonged at quarterback," Harp said. "He was so accurate. Even then, he did a great job of reading defenses. He was always 'Hollywood,' because he looked like a surfer kid."

The name of that team? The Irvine Big Blue Wave.

"It fit," Harp said.

Bruce Rollinson also knew.

Rollinson has spent most of his life at Mater Dei High, first as a student-athlete, and then as a football coach.

Mater Dei has produced two Heisman-winning quarterbacks — John Huarte and Matt Leinart. Danny O'Neil, who went on to play for Oregon, is in the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame. Billy Blanton set several passing records at San Diego State.

"You step back and go, 'Wow, this is some good stuff,'" Rollinson said.

Brennan played in the shadow of Leinart, his close friend, who was a year older. "He had to sit tight and bide his time," Rollinson said, "and he did."

During his senior year, his only season as Mater Dei's starter, Brennan proved he was more than accurate passer.

"We liked his swagger," Rollinson said. "We liked his moxie. I knew he would be good because he was competitive."

That was apparent every time Brennan stood in the pocket.

'A LITTLE GANGLY'

"As a high school player, Colt hadn't grown into his body yet," Rollinson said. "He was still a little, I don't know, a little gangly, a little geeky, in the sense he didn't move well. He certainly wasn't going to scramble for any yardage. We used to admire the fact that as a competitor he'd hang on to that football and then he'd let it fly. If it was out late, he'd take the hit, and just get up and go, 'Let's do it again.'"

Dave Money knew.

As Mater Dei's offensive coordinator, Money knew of Brennan's defiant spirit. Money watched the telecast of the Warriors' victory over Washington in which they rallied from a 21-0 deficit.

"I was really impressed with his demeanor and body language through adversity," Money said. "They were down 21-0, and you would have never known that. That's one thing Colt's always had. We had a game where we played Fallbrook. We were down, 17-0, in the first half. He came back in the second half and led us to victory. It kind of reminded me of that watching him play the other night. No matter what the situation is, it won't affect him. He's always wanting to be positive."

Christian Allen knew, too.

"I knew if they went with four finalists, he would be in there," said Allen, who was Brennan's roommate at Worcester (Mass.) Academy in 2003. "His numbers were out of this world. He should have been there last year."

EXTENDED FAMILY

Allen remembered when he was assigned to room with a "quarterback from California."

They formed an immediate bond. Allen, whose family owns property in Florida, is an outdoor enthusiast who enjoyed surfing.

On weekends, they stayed with Allen's family in Boston, including Allen's parents Fran and Cindy and sisters Katie and Amanda.

"He became a part of my family's life," Allen said.

As a Heisman finalist, Brennan is allowed to invite 10 guests. He asked Allen and his father Fran.

"I was ecstatic when he called and said he would get me a ticket," Allen said. "This is great for the whole state out there."

June Jones knew.

Jones, UH's head coach, said: "I knew he was special the first time I saw him throw."

That was on a videotape of a Saddleback Community College game.

"I remember (former UH athletic director) Paul Durham was sitting right there," Jones said, pointing to a chair in his office. "He said, 'What are you going to do next year after Timmy Chang?'"

Chang, the NCAA's career leader in passing yards, completed his UH eligibility in December 2004.

Jones grabbed Saddleback's videotape, popped it into the recorder, and watched Durham watch the images on the wide-screen television.

Jones told Durham: "Don't breathe a word of who that guy is. I don't want anybody to know."

A year later, after Brennan led the nation in passing and touchdown throws as a first-year Warrior, Durham said to Jones: "You were right about that guy."

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Terry Brennan did not know.

Oh, he had an inkling his son would become a household name. But that was because he debated the name Maverick after the Brennan household's favorite television show.

The Brennans then looked at a map of Southern California. Colton, Calif., had a nice ring.

"I figured I couldn't mess that up too much," Terry said.

There was a long line of Brennans who played football.

"We never pushed Colt," Terry said. "It was his choice to play. It wasn't me or his mom or his family. Colt has a real relationship with the game itself. It pushed him."

Visit Tsai's blog at www.HawaiiWarriorBeat.com.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.