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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, March 7, 2010

Good sign Brennan healthy again


By Stephen Tsai
HawaiiWarriorBeat.com Editor

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Colt Brennan

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For several hours yesterday, it was 2007, as Colt Brennan put a Sharpie autograph to hundreds of T-shirts, photographs, caps, mini-helmets, paper scraps — basically, anything with a surface, including skin.

The past was present for the former University of Hawai'i quarterback, still one of the 50th state's most popular figures.

"I love being in Hawai'i, meeting people, having fun," said Brennan, who served as a guest instructor at the Field of Legends Football Clinic at Aloha Stadium.

But Brennan's focus is on the near future as he prepares for his third year with the Washington Redskins. This time, he insisted, he is armed and ready, healthy for the first time since September 2007, the start of his senior year.

"There are no problems anymore," said Brennan, who has undergone three surgeries in the past 21 months.

The first was to repair a torn labrum in his right hip. After his rookie season, in 2008, he underwent surgery for a partially torn meniscus in his left knee. Then a week before the start of the 2009 season, he suffered a torn left hamstring.

It was later learned that all of the injuries were related: the left knee was worn down by over-compensating for the right-hip ailment; the torn hamstring was a byproduct of a torn labrum in his left hip.

Brennan underwent surgery on his left hip that involved shaving down cartilage to make it a more comfortable fit. He also underwent a blood-spinning procedure in which his blood was drawn, treated, and then reintroduced to strengthen his left hamstring.

"Technically," he said of the procedures, "I should be stronger, faster, more agile and more powerful in my hip than I was before I got hurt."

Brennan spent the past two months training in Arizona. He has increased his weight, to 218, while lowering his body fat to 10 percent.

"I've been running and training," Brennan said. "I don't have any serious aches or pains. I feel great."

Brennan reports to the Redskins' training facility March 16. The Redskins will stage a mini-camp before the 2010 draft.

Strong performances from Brennan and starting quarterback Jason Campbell could impact the Redskins' draft strategies. There is widespread belief the Redskins will target a quarterback in the draft. They recently released Todd Collins, who was Campbell's primary backup.

The Redskins have changed head coaches and offenses. Jim Zorn's West Coast Offense has been replaced by Mike Shanahan's spread scheme that is similar to the Houston Texans' passing attack.

"They love to create a lot of opportunities with play-action," Brennan said. "They like to move the quarterback. .... As long as they need a guy (who) can move and sling it, that's exactly what I'll do."

Brennan said he believes he will be given a fair chance to earn a role. He said: "Hopefully, it's a great opportunity to show up and showcase what I've got and make them realize there's a reason they drafted me, there's a reason why they kept me, and there's a reason I'm in D.C. now."