STAN SHERIFF CENTER | JAN. 17, 2007

For quarterback Colt Brennan, the price of paradise is millions of dollars.

In deciding to return to the University of Hawai'i for his senior season, Brennan turned down an opportunity to earn a lucrative paycheck from the National Football League.

"You have to do what you have to do," said Brennan, a fourth-year junior from Irvine, Calif. "This is what I want to do."

Several NFL scouts told Brennan he would have been one of the top three quarterbacks in the 2007 draft, behind Louisiana State's JaMarcus Russell and Notre Dame's Brady Quinn.

UH head coach June Jones said Brennan would have been selected between the 10th and 20th pick in the first round. Matt Leinart, Brennan's high-school teammate, was the 10th pick in last year's draft. He signed a six-year contract worth up to $51 million.

"Colt probably turned down about $25 million," Jones said. "It's a lot of money. It's a huge sacrifice."

Shakti Stream, Brennan's girlfriend, said the money "could buy you your own island. But it can't buy you the experience of Hawai'i."

"Hawai'i's really changed him," she added. "He's really adapted to the culture and the people. He honestly fell in love with everything about Hawai'i. That has a lot to do with why he's coming back."

Brennan set six NCAA records this season, including most touchdown passes and highest efficiency rating. He became the first UH quarterback named to one of The Associated Press' All-America teams. He placed sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting as the nation's best college football player.

Brennan had debated his football future since Christmas Eve, when the Warriors defeated Arizona State in the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl.

For the past three weeks, he said he was "50-50" on whether to apply for the NFL draft or remain at UH.

Brennan applied for the NFL draft on Monday, the declaration deadline, as a way to keep open his options while he pondered his future. The NFL offers a 72-hour grace period for applicants to rescind.

Teammates and UH administrators greeted the announcement with cheers.

"It's a delayed New Year's present," junior wideout Jason Rivers said. "We're his friends first and teammates after that, and we would have supported him no matter what. But I'm so happy he made this decision."

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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