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Collins: A Meaner Looking Bear

F

FasterThanYou

Active member
Good article in today's Denver Post from Coach Collins.


Earnest Collins Jr. means business entering his first season as Northern Colorado's football coach
By Natalie Meisler
The Denver Post

Updated: 08/03/2011 01:15:44 AM MDT

Earnest Collins Jr., coming off a 5-6 season as Alcorn State's football coach, jumped at the chance to return to UNC, his alma mater. UNC takes on Colorado State in Fort Collins on Sept. 10. (Karl Gehring, The Denver Post )

GREELEY — Like most first-year head football coaches, Earnest Collins Jr. had his wish list upon taking over at Northern Colorado. Things such as expanding the fan base, making a statement in the recruiting wars and restoring the school's glory.

Collins wants all that and more.

"We've got to find a meaner-looking bear," he said of a hallway trophy case with a ratty-looking head removed from a fuzzy mascot of old. "This looks like a teddy bear."

Collins' message couldn't be clearer. The former walk-on from East High School in Denver, who became a four-year starter at UNC, wants to put the teeth back in Bears football.

"I'm a very vocal person," said Collins, a defensive back and punt returner when he played for the Bears from 1991-94. "I'll be the first to pat you on the back and the first to put my foot up your (rear)."

you can read the rest at the link:
http://www.denverpost.com/colleges/ci_18605391


Did you know?
Earnest Collins Jr. . . .

• Holds the Northern Colorado record for most punt return yards (497) in a season.

• Ranks second in UNC history with 978 career yards on punt returns. Vincent Jackson, now an NFL star with the San Diego Chargers​, has the UNC record (1,024).

• Delivered furniture for a year after graduating from East High School in Denver.

• Was a member of the Northwest Missouri State coaching staff when the Bearcats won Division II national championships in 1998 and 1999, beating UNC in the playoffs both seasons.

• Is the 16th head football coach in UNC history, but the first UNC alumnus in charge of the program.

• Graduated from UNC in 1996 with a degree in kinesiology.
Click to expand...
 
That's a cool article. I like the Orms quote. "He's a tough guy,When you see him coming, you kind of get a little nervous. I think that's how it's supposed to be with a head coach. You want to have that respect for him. You don't want to let him down."

As fans we need to give him support by coming out to the games and giving him better resources and that means stepping up our donations to the B and G club, QB Club, etc.
 
Beardown said:
That's a cool article. I like the Orms quote. "He's a tough guy,When you see him coming, you kind of get a little nervous. I think that's how it's supposed to be with a head coach. You want to have that respect for him. You don't want to let him down."

As fans we need to give him support by coming out to the games and giving him better resources and that means stepping up our donations to the B and G club, QB Club, etc.
Click to expand...

:thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
 
I second all that PlayerParent !! I can't wait for the season to start. Collins will be so refreshing around here. Someone that is actually going to yell on the sidelines. Actually get players (and fans) fired up. Enthusiasm has been sadly lacking from the coaching staff . As far as I am concerned he started the ball rolling when he first showed up and seeing him and the other coaches at the basketball games was huge. I know its early but it is going to be fun for a change !! GO BEARS !!
 
Good article. Collins is definitely what UNC is in need of, and lets hope that prove to be true out on the field once the season starts. Also I love is philosophy on recruiting, not letting other big sky teams take kids from our state, and go after some kids that might have been snubbed from the bigger schools.
 
I too enjoyed the article and am looking forward to a different team this season; however, as I mentioned in another post, I think the recruiting philosophy needs to go further than this state. I have looked at other rosters in the Big Sky, and they are so much more diverse. I think when you focus on recruiting in a state with a population of only 5 million people (all ages), you are limited. Compare that with the populations in the states of Texas-almost 28 million, Florida-over 18 million, and California-37 million. These states have proven to turn out the most successful football players (the majority of players in the NFL come from these states). These are the states we should be trying to recruit from to build a stronger program. Limiting the recruiting to our state is not going to build a strong D1 program.
 
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