Utah State University Athletics

Stacy Collins, who is in his fifth year at Utah State, will serve as the co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach this season, after being the special teams coordinator and running backs coach in 2019. Collins also spent three seasons as the inside linebackers coach (2017-18) and special teams coordinator (2016) at USU. Overall, Collins has 22 years of coaching experience, including 15 years as a coordinator and four years as a head coach.

In 2019, Collins helped Utah State to its 14th bowl game all-time, including its eighth in the past nine seasons, as it played in the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl. 

Collins also coached a trio of all-Mountain West performers a year ago in placekicker Dominik Eberle (first team), return specialist Savon Scarver (first team) and running back Gerold Bright (honorable mention). Eberle was also named an honorable mention All-American by Pro Football Focus as he finished his Aggie career with 14 school records, including 359 points scored, to go along with seven MW records. Following his colleigate career, Eberle signed an NFL free agent contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. 

Collins helped Utah State to one of its most successful seasons ever in 2018 as the Aggies went 11-2 and tied the school record for wins (11) and home wins (6), while being nationally ranked for six-straight weeks for the first time in school history. USU also won its fifth bowl game with a 52-13 victory against North Texas in the New Mexico Bowl. USU also set a school record by winning 10 straight games in 2018. USU finished the season ranked 22nd in the final Associated Press poll.

During the 2018 season, Collins helped coach an Aggie defense that led the nation in turnovers forced (32), interceptions (22) and three-and-outs forced per game (5.69), while ranking third with six defensive touchdowns. 

As Utah State’s inside linebackers coach in 2018, Collins mentored sophomore David Woodward, who Pro Football Focus named the Mountain West’s Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-American, while The Associated Press named him a third-team All-American. Woodward finished the 2018 season leading the MW and ranking 10th in the nation in tackles with 134 (11.2 per game).

During the 2017 season, Collins helped coach a Utah State defense that allowed just 182.5 passing yards per game to rank 19th nationally. Furthermore, USU ranked sixth in the nation with 29 forced turnovers, including tying for second nationally with its 16 forced fumbles, and ranked fourth in the nation with five defensive touchdowns. 

As special teams coordinator in 2016, Collins helped Utah State rank third in the Mountain West and 38th nationally in kickoff return defense, allowing 19.47 yards per return.

Collins came to Utah State after spending four seasons as the head coach and special teams coordinator at Division II South Dakota School of Mines, where he led the Hardrockers to winning seasons in 2013 and 2015. 

Under Collins’ direction in 2014, South Dakota School of Mines set single-season school records with 5,282 total yards, 3,540 passing yards and 286 first downs, and led all of college football in red zone efficiency. SDSM also set single-game school records with 674 total yards vs. William Jewell and 481 passing yards vs. Northwestern. Furthermore, SDSM set the single-season school record for points scored with 386 during the 2013 campaign.

As members of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in 2014 and 2015, South Dakota School of Mines had 14 all-conference honorees, highlighted by quarterback Trent McKinney, who twice earned first-team honors and was named the conference’s Newcomer of the Year in 2014. Collins also mentored a pair of record-setting kickers at South Dakota School of Mines in Devon Jones and Kolten Jelden.

Prior to his head coaching stint at South Dakota School of Mines, Collins served as the assistant head coach and special teams coordinator at Portland State in 2011, where he coached placekicker Zach Brown, who was a first-team All-American. Along with Brown, Collins coached punter Thomas Duyndam to honorable mention all-Big Sky honors.

Prior to Portland State, Collins spent three seasons (2008-10) at Central Washington as the special teams coordinator and linebackers/defensive line coach. At CWU, Collins coached an All-American and two-time first-team all-GNAC kicker in Garrett Rolsma, as well as first-team all-conference kick returners Courtney Smith and Jerome Williams.

Collins has also had coaching stops at Southern Oregon in 2007 (defensive coordinator), Idaho State from 2005-06 (linebackers coach), Western Washington from 2003-04 (linebackers coach), South Dakota School of Mines in 2002 (defensive/special teams coordinator) and Western Oregon from 1998-2001 (special teams coordinator/linebackers coach).

In addition, he spent time in Europe on the coaching staff of the Vienna Vikings (Austria), as the defensive coordinator and interim head coach from 1999-2001.

While the special teams coordinator at Western Washington in 2004, Collins coached punter Mike Koenen, who went on to play for 10 seasons in the NFL.

Collins played linebacker at Western Oregon from 1993-97, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1998 and a master’s degree in education in 2001.

Collins, a native of Sutherlin, Ore., and his wife, Mandi, have four daughters, Kayla, Mackenzie, Kylee and Mackenna.

Stacy Collins File
Coaching History:
2020 – Utah State - Co-Defensive Coordinator/Secondary
2019 – Utah State – Special Teams Coordinator/Running Backs
2017-18 – Utah State – Inside Linebackers
2016 – Utah State – Special Teams Coordinator
2012-15 – South Dakota School of Mines – Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator
2011 – Portland State – Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator
2008-10 – Central Washington – Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Line/Linebackers
2007 – Southern Oregon – Defensive Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator
2005-06 – Idaho State – Linebackers
2004 – Western Washington – Special Teams Coordinator/Linebackers
2003 – Western Washington – Linebackers
2002 – South Dakota School of Mines – Defensive/Special Teams Coordinator
1999-2001 – Vienna (Austria) – Defensive Coordinator/Interim Head Coach
1998-2001 – Western Oregon – Special Teams Coordinator/Linebackers

Bowl Games/NCAA Division II Playoffs (5):
Utah State (3) – Frisco, 2019; New Mexico, 2018; NOVA Home Loans Arizona, 2017
Central Washington (2) – 2009, 2008

Conference Championships (4):
Central Washington – Great Northwest: 2010, 2009, 2008
Western Washington – Great Northwest: 2003

Playing Experience:
1993-97 – Western Oregon – Linebacker

Education:
2001 – Western Oregon – Education (M.S.)
1998 – Western Oregon – Physical Education (B.S.)

Family:
Wife, Mandi; Daughters - Kayla, Mackenzie, Kylee, Mackenna