Brian Collins joined the Western Michigan staff in January of 2019 and serves as a graduate assistant, working primarily with the team’s offensive units.
During the 2019 season, the Broncos featured a dynamic offense, ranking third in the Mid-American Conference in scoring offense (33.1 points per game) and second in total offense (445.7 yards per game). The offensive line also excelled, standing third in the MAC in fewest sacks allowed per game (1.38) and 18th nationally. The group also ranked fourth in the league in fewest tackles for loss yielded per contest (5.08).
Individually for Western Michigan during the 2019 campaign, running back LeVante Bellamy was named one of 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award, given to the top running back in college football, while tight end Giovanni Ricci was named one of eight semifinalists for the John Mackey Award, presented to the nation’s top collegiate tight end. Bellamy went on to earn the Mid-American Conference’s Vern Smith Leadership Award as the league’s MVP, as well as the MAC Offensive Player of the Year.
Collins spent the 2017 and 2018 seasons with Brian Cliff University. In 2017 he was an assistant coach working with the team’s tight ends before transitioning to the defensive line and serving as the program’s recruiting coordinator. During the 2017 campaign, Collins helped the Chargers to 1,904 receiving yards and 13 aerial touchdowns in addition to 2,013 rushing yards and 20 ground scores.
In the 2018 season, Briar Cliff rebounded from an 0-11 finish to 2011 to post a 6-5 record and go 4-5 in league competition. The Chargers yielded 127.7 rushing yards per game and were paced in sacks by defensive lineman Logan Knutson’s 5.0. Knutson chipped in 8.5 tackles for loss with defensive lineman Omar Dyles finishing second on the squad with 11.0 TFL.
Collins arrived at Briar Cliff following a stint at American Heritage School in Delray Beach, Fla. American Heritage is an independent non-sectarian and co-educational college preparatory day school for grades pre-k3 through 12 with approximately 900 students.
Before turning to coaching, Collins was a four-year offensive line starter for St. Joseph’s College. He blocked for some of the best offenses in program history, as well as for the school’s all-time leading rusher. Collins was named all-conference his senior year and was a four-time academic all-league selection.
Collins graduated Cum Laude with a bachelor of arts in sports management from St. Joseph’s College in May of 2016 and completed a master of arts in human resource management from Briar Cliff in 2019.
