Bryan Collins
Biographical details
BornJuly 30, 1964
Queens, New York, U.S.
Died (aged 58)
Sayville, New York, U.S.
Playing career
c. 1985St. John's
Position(s)Linebacker
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
c. 1990St. Francis Prep (NY)
1991–1993C. W. Post (assistant)
1994–1995Merchant Marine (DC/LB)
1996–1997C. W. Post / LIU Post (DC/LB)
1998–2018C. W. Post / LIU Post
2019–2021LIU
2021–2022Stony Brook (DL)
2023Stony Brook (DC)
Head coaching record
Overall162–84
Tournaments3–6 (NCAA D-II playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
8 NE-10 (2001–2002, 2004–2006, 2014, 2016, 2018)
2 EFC Atlantic Division (1999–2000)
1 PSAC Eastern Division (2011)

Bryan Collins (July 30, 1964 – July 8, 2023) was an American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Long Island University (LIU) from 1998 to 2021, staying with the team through its merger from the Division II LIU Post Pioneers to the Division I LIU Sharks.

Collins served as the defensive line coach for the Stony Brook Seawolves for two seasons. He was promoted to defensive coordinator prior to the 2023 season, but died suddenly in July 2023 at the age of 58.[1][2]

Career

Assistant coaching

Collins graduated from St. John's University in Queens in 1987, where he played linebacker on the football team. He began his coaching career as an assistant football coach at St. Francis Preparatory School in Fresh Meadows, Queens.[3]

He was an assistant coach at C.W. Post University from 1991 to 1993 before leaving for the United States Merchant Marine Academy to become their defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 1994 to 1995.

C.W. Post / LIU Post / LIU

In 1996, Collins returned to C.W. Post in the same role and he was elevated to head coach in 1998. C.W. Post rebranded to the LIU Post Pioneers in 2012. Collins won eight Northeast-10 Conference championships at C.W. Post/LIU Post. As the head coach for the Post program, Collins went 160–72.[4][5] From 2006 to 2016, Collins also served as the athletic director of the LIU Post program.[6]

After the 2018 season, the Division II LIU Post Pioneers program merged with the Division I LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds program to become the Division I LIU Sharks. While Collins' first Division I season ended with a 0–10 record, he went 2–2 the following year in the shortened COVID–19 makeup season in 2020–21 and was nominated as a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, given to the top coach in FCS football.[7] Collins suddenly stepped down from the program in June 2021. In two seasons, Collins went 2–12 as the head coach of the Sharks.[8]

Stony Brook

On August 17, 2021, Collins was named the defensive line coach for the Stony Brook Seawolves.[9]

After two seasons, Collins was promoted to defensive coordinator in January 2023.[10] Collins died on July 8, 2023 from a sudden cardiac event at age 58 before coaching a game as the Seawolves' defensive coordinator.[1]

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
C. W. Post Pioneers (Eastern Football Conference) (1998–2000)
1998 C. W. Post 7–36–2T–2nd (Atlantic)
1999 C. W. Post 9–27–11st (Atlantic)
2000 C. W. Post 8–27–11st (Atlantic)
C. W. Post Pioneers (Northeast-10 Conference) (2001–2007)
2001 C. W. Post 11–19–11st
2002 C. W. Post 11–110–01stL NCAA Division II First Round
2003 C. W. Post 9–28–12nd
2004 C. W. Post 8–38–1T–1stL NCAA Division II First Round
2005 C. W. Post 10–38–11stL NCAA Division II Quarterfinal
2006 C. W. Post 7–37–2T–1st
2007 C. W. Post 4–64–5T–6th
C. W. Post / LIU Pioneers (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference) (2008–2012)
2008 C. W. Post 3–82–56th (Eastern)
2009 C. W. Post 6–55–2T–2nd (Eastern)
2010 C. W. Post 7–45–23rd (Eastern)
2011 C. W. Post 7–46–1T–1st (Eastern)
2012 LIU Post 3–72–55th (Eastern)
LIU Post Pioneers (Northeast-10 Conference) (2013–2018)
2013 LIU Post 5–63–6T–7th
2014 LIU Post 8–47–22ndL NCAA Division II First Round
2015 LIU Post 7–45–4T–4th
2016 LIU Post 12–19–01stL NCAA Division II Second Round
2017 LIU Post 8–27–22nd
2018 LIU Post 10–19–01stL NCAA Division II First Round
C. W. Post: 160–72134–44
LIU Sharks (Northeast Conference) (2019–2021)
2019 LIU 0–100–78th
2020–21 LIU 2–22–2T–3rd
LIU: 2–122–9
Total:162–84
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

Personal life

Collins was married to his wife Patti and had two children.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 "Bryan Collins, Stony Brook defensive coordinator and former LIU Post coach, dies at 58". Newsday. Melville, New York. September 15, 1998. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Stony Brook Athletics Mourns the Loss of Bryan Collins". Stony Brook University Athletics. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Collins' Agenda: I-AA, Local Foes". Newsday. Melville, New York. September 15, 1998. p. A55. Retrieved July 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  4. 1 2 "Great Lives: LI football community remembers legendary coach Bryan Collins". Greater Long Island. 2023-07-13. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  5. ↑ Sports, HERO (2019-07-06). "FCS 2019 PREVIEW: Long Island University Football Enters The D1 World". HERO Sports. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  6. ↑ Tam, Ethan. "After 23 years at LIU, Bryan Collins hired as Stony Brook D-line coach". The Statesman. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  7. ↑ "Collins Named Finalist for Eddie Robinson FCS Coach of the Year Award". Long Island University. 2021-04-20. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  8. ↑ Brice, John (2021-06-27). "Veteran FCS coach steps down from program". Footballscoop. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  9. ↑ Tam, Ethan. "After 23 years at LIU, Bryan Collins hired as Stony Brook D-line coach". The Statesman. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  10. ↑ "Stony Brook Football Announces Promotion of Bryan Collins to Defensive Coordinator". Stony Brook University Athletics. 2023-11-27. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
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