The University of Hawai'i has vowed to get behind returning quarterback Colt Brennan's push for postseason honors with, "a campaign where we're going to try and pull out all the stops."

John McNamara, UH associate athletic director, said the athletic department "will use every resource that we have available" to get out the word on Brennan not only for the 2007 Heisman Trophy but other awards.

Brennan finished sixth in the voting for the 2006 Heisman and won the Sammy Baugh Trophy as the nation's top quarterback.

Brennan's announcement last week that he will forgo an early entry into the NFL draft restarted plans the athletic department had been considering since the end of the 2006 season.

McNamara said UH will pull together its various partners, "in a comprehensive effort that makes sense for us." He said a budget hasn't been assigned, but the campaign would be run, "in such a way that we're going to put together a smart campaign, not just an expensive campaign."

McNamara said, "The lion's share of getting Colt's Heisman campaign rolling has been done by Colt" with his record-setting junior year. With last season's late takeoff by Brennan, "I think we garnered an awful lot of attention in a short period of time, so this is going to be a real luxury to have this many months to plan and get started.

"This (campaign) will be out there helping Colt, but everybody's going to win, the state, the city and the university. That's why we what to make sure we put our best foot forward."

ABC college football commentator Craig James said "that's great news about Colt returning for another year.... Unlike 2006, Colt will start out a top 5 contender for the Heisman Trophy."

ESPN has been working in conjunction with UH to fill two remaining schedule openings. An ESPN spokesman said Brennan, "is tremendous player and his return adds to the appeal for televising Hawai'i next year. We are taking a look at scheduling Hawai'i next season as long as the games are compelling and fit within our available windows."

WAC Commissioner Karl Benson said, "Hawai'i is always a team that ESPN is interested in. I think the coming year could result in even more (Hawai'i) games being shown." The contract allows a maximum of 5.

Ultimately, however, analysts say Brennan's chances at the Heisman will come down to how much UH wins. ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit said, "if (UH) wins 11 or 12 games, then he'll be in New York City for the Heisman ceremonies. If they win 6 or 7 — even if he has a better year individually than he has this year — he won't."

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com.