There are a lot of reasons why you'd like to see Colt Brennan win the Heisman Trophy this season.

Mostly because he's an exceptional talent, he's a stand-up guy, it would be a win for the underdogs and, yes, he is the University of Hawai'i's quarterback. And, of course, he could be the first winner to have a state dyed into his hair. Nor is this an exhaustive list.

But yesterday, without trying to, Brennan gave us another pretty good reason. A remarkable one, really. Because winning the 73-year-old award is not his be all and end all this season. Hoisting the Heisman isn't what drives him and apparently it isn't what consumes him, either.

We know this because when Brennan, in light of his sprained right ankle, was asked whether, for the sake of his Heisman Trophy candidacy, he feels he should play Saturday against Division I-AA Charleston Southern no matter what, Brennan said, "I don't look at that (Heisman pluses and minuses). That's not my goal and that's not coach (June) Jones' goal; you could tell that by the way he took me outta the game the other day. Our goal is to win every game this year. That's what we are focusing on."

Brennan added: "Last year I experienced that (Heisman consideration). I got a taste of that. Whether or not it happens for me this year is out of my control. The Heisman, that's the least of my worries. If I came out in the first quarter and we won every game, I'd do that. I mean if my numbers were bad (for Heisman purposes), that wouldn't matter as long as we won."

A refreshing outlook to be sure and not your everyday sound bites in this day and age as headlines frequently remind us.

Make no mistake about it, Brennan wants to play. Badly. The way he pounds his crutches into the ground at practice while talking about his ankle says a lot about his determination. The way he gazed enviously at the other quarterbacks while he stood on the sideline told you a lot.

By now that should be no surprise, of course. He's a fierce competitor and would hobble out there just for the challenge of proving he could take the Warriors the length of the field on one leg whether he were playing for a trip to New York or a handful of marbles. What he did at Las Vegas last week underlined that.

But Brennan also realizes that if he can't go without the prospect of further injury or downtime it would be foolhardy to risk a season, both his and the Warriors', for the sake of a game, one UH should be able to win without him. Even if it sets back his Heisman statistics or campaign.

There's a lot to be said about somebody who isn't going to get blinded by the pursuit of individual glory to the detriment of his team. Even when it is the most prized individual honor in sports and a multi-million-dollar marketing boon to its winner.

Now, that's the kind of guy you'd like to see handed the Heisman Trophy come December.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.