Big Dream: A Little Luck
June 12, 2003 12:46 PM | General
Reprinted from 1993 Mountaineer Illustrated
In the wild, an animal's instinct is everything. It is by instinct that an animal knows how to hunt its prey and it is also by instinct that an animal knows how to elude its predators.
 Defensive back Michael Collins (WVU Sports Communications photo) |
The key to survival is instinct.
A place where only the strong and fast survive, in many ways the football field resembles the wild. According to senior strong safety Mike Collins, the key to survival at his position is instinct, too.
"Instinct is very important when you're playing in the defensive backfield," says the Huntington, W.Va., native. "Out on the field there are a lot of things happening very fast. You have to be able to read and react to what is coming at you. If your instincts are bad then you're not going to be a very good player."
Collins' instincts must be pretty good considering the fact that he has been the Mountaineers' starting strong safety for four years.
Known as a punishing big hitter, Collins came into the 1993 season as the leading tackler in the secondary for the past two years.
Four years spans the lifetime of a college athlete. Looking through a senior's eyes, Collins sees football, and life in general, a little bit differently.
As a football player, Collins suggests that he is a lot quicker reacting to the ball. A man who is very sure of himself, hesitation has no place in his game.
"As a freshman I was a little hesitant and I wasn't quite sure of what I was doing," says Collins. "Now, I'm just more confident in myself and what I can do. With three years under my belt I know what my abilities are."
Collins admits, because of the intensity of his daily schedule, that it is hard to think about anything but football at times. He also has come to realize what is most important in life.
"When I first got here I didn't see the importance in things,~ says the 5-11, 195-pound defensive back. "I have come to appreciate my family and concentrate on my schoolwork a lot more."
Having all of the important things in his life in focus, Collins gets satisfaction from what he does on the field, too.
Winning is what provides the most satisfaction. Aside from that, Collins also finds the camaraderie of teammates a very rewarding part of the college football experience.
"I love being part of the team," says Collins. "I enjoy being part of a successful organization. The Mountaineer football team is a successful organization and I can't tell you how much that means to me."
For Collins, strong safety has been a source of satisfaction. A very flexible position with multiple responsibilities, it is a perfect position for him to use all of his many athletic gifts.
If he could play any other position, for just one game, he would like to try his hand as a running back.
"I would like to run the ball so I could score some touchdowns," says Collins. "I always wondered what I could do at this level. In high school, I played fullback and averaged around 10 yards a carry my senior season. I had about 1,200 yards that year."
Last season, Collins found himself in the middle of a fight during the Syracuse game. Immediately following that controversial altercation, he was ejected from the game.
Looking at the situation a year removed, Collins sees last year's situation and others like it objectively.
"I think that it is up to the players to control themselves out on the field," says Collins, who is considered by many to be an aggressive and physical player. "You have to have a sense of control when you are playing. You can't allow anything stupid to happen. Players have to be responsible for their actions. I may have made a bad choice that day, but I have learned from that."
While last season's Syracuse game is a memory that will stick out in his mind for a long time because of the negative things attached to it, there is one moment that Collins will never forget for its positive aspects.
"There is no way that I could forget the first time I stepped onto the field on game day,~ says Collins. "I was so nervous. I remember not realizing how many people would be in the stands. An awful lot of people come out to support our team. The best part of that experience was knowing that I had actually made it at this level. I was on the field."
On the day that Collins first set foot on the turf at Mountaineer Field, he had a long road to travel before becoming the senior leader he is today.
"I'm glad to be thought of as a leader on this team. I've been around for so long that I feel I should be a leader," says Collins who is a co-captain on this year's Mountaineer squad. "I've been out there through it all. At this point, I have a great deal of experience. I'm probably one of the most experienced players on the team and I think that my teammates respect that."
For Collins, being a leader on the team has nothing to do with ego. He believes it is a role which he has to take seriously. As captain, he sees his responsibilities as helping the team stay focused and playing his best. It is as simple and clear as that.
As far as goals go, Collins has a few. They are simple and clear, too.
"My main goal for the team is to see this program get back to the national prominence that it had when I first got here," says Collins. "I want to see us ranked among the elite again. I believe a top 10 ranking is a goal that we can achieve this season. That's the way I feel and I don't think I'm alone on this one.
"My personal goal, as far as football is concerned, is to earn positions on the all-BIG EAST and all-East teams. Ultimately, I would love to have the opportunity to have a chance to play in the NFL."
Mike Collins is a player who has relied on instinct to get to where he is now. Now his instincts are telling him great things are on the horizon for the Mountaineers.
Mountaineer fans everywhere hope his instincts are right again.
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