In Depth Analysis: Colt Brennan, QB, Hawaii

[Matt McGuire]

Okay. As usual every morning I watch my Bowl game reruns and I just couldn't wait to get to my DVR and watch the Sugar Bowl again and analyze Colt Brennan's play. Remember, NFL Area scouts are taught not to have knee jerk reactions considering college athletes. However if some scouts were high on Brennan I hope they look at these flags I have with him in reviewing the game film:

1. He never audibled to protect himself in pass protection. This is a product of the Run N' Shoot. It is designed to protect his quarterback in any situation without making a whole lot of reads...unless you play a good football team like Georgia (as Hawaii hasn't faced any all season). There were a few reads I got from the linebackers in which I thought Brennan could have read the defense and gotten off a different play or went into max protection. This kid is going to struggle to learn an NFL playbook because the RNS he has at Hawaii is so easy to operate in. It is going to take 4-5 years for this kid to understand protection schemes in the NFL and learn to audible into the right play. Guys like Brian Brohm, Andre Woodson, and Erik Ainge already understand these concepts. Brennan does not and Georgia wasn't scared to bring the house because Hawaii's play calling was predictable and they knew Brennan could not protect himself. If you are playing Kentucky, you can not do the same thing over and over because Woodson will expose you.

2. Lack of velocity on a lot of his throws. So many throws could have been completed if it where a QB with better arm strength. Brennan was picked three times because his ball floats and it is easy for teams with speed to pick him off. I'm not concerned with a QB throwing the ball 60 yards down the field when I evaluate arm strength. It is about that 18 yard out route and a lot of Brennan's passes were easily defended because the ball stays in the air much longer than the average NFL QB.

3. Will Brennan's lack of confidence translate into an NFL game? While in most games this season I saw Brennan throw the ball into double coverage at times, I never saw him do it tonight. You can look at this from a positive prospective that he didn't try to turn the ball over in a big game...but I said he didn't look like himself when he played a quality opponent on the big stage. This is why RNS guys like Danny Ware and Tim Couch struggled in the NFL. You take them out of their comfort zone into an NFL offense against great NFL speed and they panic.

[animal52]

I agree with your evaluations of his shortcomings, but I think that any QB getting virtually no protection would struggle badly as he did. His pro stock probably did drop, though. Maybe round 5 or 6 now.

[Matt McGuire]

I agree with your evaluations of his shortcomings, but I think that any QB getting virtually no protection would struggle badly as he did. His pro stock probably did drop, though. Maybe round 5 or 6 now.

Most scouts like I said where not high on him to begin with. His stock certainly fell because he was on the big stage. How much? Still a 4th or 5th round prospect.

I totally disagree with anyone that says any other QB would look as bad as Brennan in that game. Would they play bad? Of course, but most QBs could make throws where Brennan could not and throw the ball with more velocity. He certainly doesn't have it and when you play the WAC your arm strength is going to look average-good because those players are very slow.

[animal52]

Most scouts like I said where not high on him to begin with. His stock certainly fell because he was on the big stage. How much? Still a 4th or 5th round prospect.

I totally disagree with anyone that says any other QB would look as bad as Brennan in that game. Would they play bad? Of course, but most QBs could make throws where Brennan could not and throw the ball with more velocity. He certainly doesn't have it and when you play the WAC your arm strength is going to look average-good because those players are very slow.

Maybe not quite as bad, but only recently ( last year) I've witnessed both Peyton Manning and Brett Favre play horribly when under constant pressure.

[Matt McGuire]

Maybe not quite as bad, but only recently ( last year) I've witnessed both Peyton Manning and Brett Favre play horribly when under constant pressure.

Give me a break man it is called pressure for a reason, there is no QB that just thrives when DL and LBers are on him for 60 minutes.

My points are that Brennan is a product of the system in Hawaii. If it was Woodson or Henne they would throw the ball with more velocity and be able to move the chains and neutralize the speed of Georgia's defense. They would have a bad game behind that OL OF COURSE THEY WOULD but in terms of being a pro QB I wanted to see Brennan check off his protection and he doesn't do that.

There are reasons why fan fave QBs like Troy Smith and Chris Leak fall in the draft and it is because the NFL Area scouts are the lifeblood of the draft. Brennan just might fall like a rock into the 6th-7th round if he has a bad Senior Bowl week. 2 of Brennan's INTs happened because of his sidearm angles.

[bwest36]

I don't know its tough to scout brennan on this game, im curious to see how he does in the senior bowl.

[Matt McGuire]

I don't know its tough to scout brennan on this game, im curious to see how he does in the senior bowl.

I agree...NFLN needs to hype the Senior Bowl practices because in my opinion those can be more entertaining than games when you watch those players work in drills and stuff in a different environment.

[starqb14]

as far as lack of velocity, i would concur with the point made that it is hard to get velocity on the football when you're lying on your back.

did you see the fumble/TD near the goalline? the tackle never even touched that guy. seriously, brennan just set up to throw and got schmucked.

the senior bowl will be much more telling than this game of 9-man that he played against georgia.

[Matt McGuire]

as far as lack of velocity, i would concur with the point made that it is hard to get velocity on the football when you're lying on your back.

did you see the fumble/TD near the goalline? the tackle never even touched that guy. seriously, brennan just set up to throw and got schmucked.

the senior bowl will be much more telling than this game of 9-man that he played against georgia.

I agree that the Senior Bowl will be more telling but I said all along Brennan is a below average pro prospect.

Brennan's throws just don't get there very fast, his sidearm delivery doesn't project to the NFL, and sometimes the ball got short on out routes yesterday...the ball barely made the sidelines (when Brennan got protection might I add).

And also, I have been complaining about Brennan's lack of velocity on his throws since mid-season...this isn't something new that Georgia exposed. His arm just isn't that strong to begin with and he has all day to throw against teams like Nevada and Utah State in a gimmick offense.

[NoNonsenseCoach]

I agree Matt, but we will have a much better look at him in the senior bowl. I can see Brennen in the late 5th early 6th right now.

[GridIron NUt]

This reminds me alot of what happened to Troy Smith Last Year.

[Matt McGuire]

This reminds me alot of what happened to Troy Smith Last Year.

In terms of the casual fan, yes.

But lets remember one thing, Smith looked great all season, horrible performance vs. Florida and he was very unimpressive in the Senior Bowl practices.

If Brennan tanks in the Senior Bowl, he might go undrafted. If he looks average, he can still be a 4th-5th rounder. I don't see him really lighting it up.

[tech2186]

Okay. As usual every morning I watch my Bowl game reruns and I just couldn't wait to get to my DVR and watch the Sugar Bowl again and analyze Colt Brennan's play. Remember, NFL Area scouts are taught not to have knee jerk reactions considering college athletes. However if some scouts were high on Brennan I hope they look at these flags I have with him in reviewing the game film:

1. He never audibled to protect himself in pass protection. This is a product of the Run N' Shoot. It is designed to protect his quarterback in any situation without making a whole lot of reads...unless you play a good football team like Georgia (as Hawaii hasn't faced any all season). There were a few reads I got from the linebackers in which I thought Brennan could have read the defense and gotten off a different play or went into max protection. This kid is going to struggle to learn an NFL playbook because the RNS he has at Hawaii is so easy to operate in. It is going to take 4-5 years for this kid to understand protection schemes in the NFL and learn to audible into the right play. Guys like Brian Brohm, Andre Woodson, and Erik Ainge already understand these concepts. Brennan does not and Georgia wasn't scared to bring the house because Hawaii's play calling was predictable and they knew Brennan could not protect himself. If you are playing Kentucky, you can not do the same thing over and over because Woodson will expose you.

2. Lack of velocity on a lot of his throws. So many throws could have been completed if it where a QB with better arm strength. Brennan was picked three times because his ball floats and it is easy for teams with speed to pick him off. I'm not concerned with a QB throwing the ball 60 yards down the field when I evaluate arm strength. It is about that 18 yard out route and a lot of Brennan's passes were easily defended because the ball stays in the air much longer than the average NFL QB.

3. Will Brennan's lack of confidence translate into an NFL game? While in most games this season I saw Brennan throw the ball into double coverage at times, I never saw him do it tonight. You can look at this from a positive prospective that he didn't try to turn the ball over in a big game...but I said he didn't look like himself when he played a quality opponent on the big stage. This is why RNS guys like Danny Ware and Tim Couch struggled in the NFL. You take them out of their comfort zone into an NFL offense against great NFL speed and they panic.

Brennan is awful and finally all of America saw what hyped up overrated media and announcers can do? He is a horrible NFL prospect. No arem strength at all and he isn't that smart as a Qb either. Also he looses conifdence in himself when he gets in trouble. You need at least one of those traits to be a decent NFL QB "You can take the QB out of the WAC but you can't take the WAC out of QB!"

[Adam Mac]

Think this game dropped his draft spot?

[Matt McGuire]

Think this game dropped his draft spot?

It certainly didn't help him. Most NFL Scouts recognize the flags and they don't think he is anything special. Some like him but most don't from what I'm hearing.

I mean Brennan is just going to be shocked I think when he goes to the NFL at how fast the defenses are...it is why John Beck is struggling I think.

The scouts that didn't think Brennan was anything special, this doesn't drop his draft stock in their eyes. He is still a 4th-6th round QB.

However the scouts that thought he was a 1st-2nd round draft pick saw how the poor arm angles is going to hurt him in the NFL, and he doesn't put any zip on his throws.