Tomorrow is the last day of classes for the fall semester, and three University of Hawai'i instructors will hear a doozie of an excuse as to why one student will be absent.

"I think they'll understand," said UH quarterback Colt Brennan, who has been invited to New York as a finalist for the Heisman Trophy as college football's best player.

Yesterday, Brennan was named one of four Heisman finalists, joining quarterbacks Chase Daniel of Missouri and Tim Tebow of Florida, and running back Darren McFadden of Arkansas. Brennan is scheduled to leave tonight. The Heisman winner will be announced in a nationally televised show Saturday from the Nokia Theatre in Times Square.

"We'll let him go to New York," mused Terry Brennan, Colt's father, "but he'd better graduate. If he doesn't, he's going to be in a lot of trouble with me."

Having made the grade with his passing, Brennan needs three passing grades to earn a bachelor's degree and participate in the Dec. 16 graduation ceremony.

"We're very proud of him," Terry Brennan said. "This is a great and wonderful thing for Colt, and his teammates and coaches, and the state."

Colt Brennan cemented his candidacy with a strong finish, completing 79.6 percent of his passes (82 of 103) for 937 yards and 10 touchdown in victories over Boise State and Washington. After producing the best statistical season by a quarterback in NCAA history as a junior last year, he came back to amass 4,239 yards in total offense in 10 games and two downs this season.

He led the Warriors to Division I-A's only unbeaten regular season despite playing on an injured right ankle that, he says, is as fat "as a tennis ball."

"Considering the games I missed with my (sprained) ankle, and me getting knocked out of the (Fresno) game with a concussion, and watching the team get those victories, it just feels like it's cool because it feels like the team and everybody is part of this. It's not just me. It's a great feeling. And it's not like I'm the only one getting rewarded here. It feels like everybody who played with me this year is getting rewarded."

Brennan, who finished sixth in the 2006 Heisman voting, was not invited to last year's ceremony. He acknowledged that a late loss to Oregon State squashed his chance. "Being the prestigious award it is, you have to go up and beyond, and I was all right with not going last year," Brennan said.

He said this year's invitation hinged on an unbeaten season. With this year's schedule, Brennan said, "if we had one loss on our record, there's no way I'd be going to New York."

Yesterday's news had wide-reaching response. Matt Leinart, the 2004 Heisman winner and Brennan's Mater Dei High teammate, called twice. Brennan gave one of his 10 Heisman show tickets to Christian Allen, a teammate at Worcester (Mass.) Academy. And Brennan's first coach, Mike Harp, thumbed through old photo albums.

"I always thought he was something special," said Harp, who first coached a 9-year-old Brennan during Junior American Football in Irvine, Calif. "Even at that age, he was always a little better than everybody else. He had a little swagger. We always called him 'Hollywood.' He looked like a surfer. But he was always an accurate passer. What he did best was put the ball on people. He still does that."

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

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.