Collins' Senior Season One To Remember

By Jeff Greenberg, GoHeels.com

Last week's game in Chapel Hill wasn't just any ordinary game day for the Tar Heels. It was Senior Day. Senior Day represents the last time the seniors on the team will play in Kenan Stadium. The last time they will wear those home jerseys. The last time they will run out of that tunnel with their teammates.

It's also a chance for the fans to show their appreciation for what those seniors have done for the program. They have given their all and then some for their teammates and coaches. One of those seniors is linebacker Cayson Collins. Even though he has been ruled out due to injury, this Saturday will be his last game as a Tar Heel. Before looking ahead to his future, let's take a look back on his career at North Carolina and his outstanding senior campaign.

Collins was a highly touted recruit out of Charlotte, ranked as one of the top 40 outside linebackers in the nation. He also played in the prestigious Shrine Bowl after his senior season in high school. What you may not know is that his path to Chapel Hill was not love at first sight.

Collins explained, "When I first came to Carolina on my first visit, I wasn't sure whether I liked it or not. They were playing Maryland and it was really cold and the game wasn't really close. Nothing really grabbed my attention at the time. On the way home my dad just told me to keep an open mind and go back again to see what I thought. And he was right. Every time I went back to Chapel Hill I found something else that I liked. Whether it was the campus, the people, the coaches and the players, I loved it more and more every time I went. The stuff that really matters when choosing where to go to college is what stood out to me each time I went back to visit."

From the time he set foot on campus his athleticism is what made him stand out from the crowd. So much so that he played right away as a true freshman. He recorded 36 tackles, 30 of which came over the last six games of the season. He also recovered a fumble for a touchdown in that stretch. Collins was getting more opportunities, but like most freshmen, he wasn't one of the vocal leaders at the time.

"When I got to Carolina I was actually a quiet guy and didn't really hang out with a lot of people," Collins said. "But as I got to know my teammates and coaches I opened up more and more and learned what it takes to be a leader. When Andre went down this year it meant that my team needed me to step up even more and be a leader on the field. I feel like my growth and development here at Carolina allowed me to be ready for that role this season."

Besides his role as a leader there was also something, actually somebody, that he needed to get to know, and that was his new linebacker coach, Mike Ekeler. When Coach Ekeler arrived during the offseason the two of them sat down one-on-one to meet and get to know one another. Collins said they clicked from the start
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"In my first meeting with Coach Ekeler I could tell he was a really high-energy type of guy. You could tell he loved the game of football and really cared about his players. He's also probably the funniest guy in the building too which I love."

Coach Ekeler added, "I think when I first got here I saw a guy who had a ton of talent that just hadn't really gotten that chance to showcase everything he could do. His confidence wasn't where it should have been. But he was willing to put the work in and do whatever we asked of him. Now you've seen those results this season. He was thrust into the spotlight and he has excelled there. You can see him playing now with a ton of confidence and he's been a leader for our defense."

Did he see signs of a leader in Collins?

"I think he's always had it in him to be that leader. But sometimes when you're not the starter you let other guys lead. Well now he's the starter and he plays every snap for us. He never comes off the field. And he's been hurt this year and just continues to be a warrior for us and power through it. Cayson has too much love for this program and his teammates to keep him off of that field. He's become the leader I thought he could be."

In addition to being a leader at Carolina, the two also discussed what was possible for his future beyond Chapel Hill.

"He talked about the fact that he's had a guy drafted to the NFL 16 years in a row," Collins said. "Obviously that caught my attention. He always says that to be a pro you need to act like a pro and train like a pro. So I asked him to push me this season and train me to be a pro. And that's what he's done this season and I give a lot of credit to him for the success I'm having this season. It's surreal when I think about the future. I have the opportunity to possibly live out my dreams and make it to the NFL. I'm just humbled and grateful for the chance to work hard and strive to do whatever it takes for that opportunity."

Coach Ekeler added, "Cayson has a bright future ahead of him. He can have a long and successful future at the next level and I'm so proud of the fact that he's made everything happen for him by seizing the moment and taking advantage of the opportunity he got this season to have success."

Successful season indeed. Collins is the team's second-leading tackler. He is also ranked fourth in the ACC in solo tackles and leads the team in that category. He makes plays all over the field and has been a standout performer all year long.

However, before realizing that NFL dream, Collins and his Tar Heel teammates have one last battle together. They close the season with a trip to Raleigh to face North Carolina State. Have the seniors had to do anything to make the younger guys know the importance of this rivalry game?

"There's nothing I need to tell the younger guys to get them to understand what this game means," Collins said. "It's built into our culture. We don't like them. They don't like us. There's animosity on both sides of this rivalry. But you have to keep your focus and go out and play football."

Collins did admit it's a bittersweet feeling this week. Thinking about this being the end of his college career brings with it a ton of emotions and moments of reflection.
On what this season has been like he said, "I'm proud of the guys on this team. I feel like we've handled the adversity we've faced well and I'm proud of how we responded when things got really tough. For me, it's all been about continuing to build that foundation for the younger guys and show them that there is a standard that's been built before them. Even though the circumstances of this season haven't always gone our way, it doesn't change the standard we've put in place at Carolina."

What will he remember most about his time in Chapel Hill?

"The relationships that I've built here will stay with me forever. That's what stands out to me. Everybody here is family to me. That's what our program is all about. Family. We break it down every day at practice on family. Every year it's grown to mean more and more to me. Like I mentioned before, the things that really matter most when you're choosing where to go to college are what matter to me most today when I think about what I'll remember about my time in Chapel Hill."

Some things haven't changed about the quiet freshman who arrived in Chapel Hill four years ago. His favorite TV show is still "The Office," and he still eats Skittles, separated color by color, before every game. What has changed is that he leaves the University of North Carolina a confident, yet humble, leader that fans and coaches alike will always be proud to call a Tar Heel.

Players Mentioned

Cayson Collins

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