Ben Collins

Position:
Linebacker
Height:
5-10
Weight:
215
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Barrackville, W.Va.
High School:
North Marion HS

Physical, hard-hitting veteran who's fighting for a starting job at middle linebacker ... his effort is tremendous ... will do anything the coaches ask him to do to improve ... worked this spring to become more consistent ... headhunter on special teams who doesn't back down ... Kent State game captain last season ... forced an Ohio fumble and made two tackles on special teams ... three tackles against Kent State ... pair of special teams tackles against Virginia Tech ... four tackles at Notre Dame ... four tackles in Miami game ... recovered a first-quarter Rutgers punt and had five tackles against RU ... three tackles on special teams at Syracuse ... seven tackles against Pitt ... Special Teams Award: Ohio ... Hammer Award: Ohio ... led WVU with 12 special teams tackles for the 2000 season, playing on all four units ... pair of special teams tackles vs. BC and Maryland ... two tackles against Miami ... pair of special teams tackles in Idaho game ... three tackles and recovered a fumbled Virginia Tech punt return ... special teams champion: Virginia Tech ... recipient of 2000 Tom Nickolich Memorial Award from Blue and Gold News for outstanding dedication by a walk-on in the WVU program ... redshirted in 1999 ... rookie of the week: Maryland, Navy, Boston College ... walk-on who earned a job as a true freshman on the Mountaineer special teams in 1998 ... rookie of the week: Virginia Tech ... comes from the same high school alma mater as Coach Rich Rodriguez ... quarterbacked Coach Gerry White's North Marion Huskies to a Class AAA state championship ... first team all-NCAC on offense and defense ... Class AAA first team all-state defensive captain ... Sam Huff Award ... USA Today state player of the year ... North-South all-star game ... son of Robert and Ann Collins ... one of three children ... born August 31, 1979 ... an academic senior majoring in liberal arts.