HEAD COACH BRYAN COLLINS
2010 PIONEERS
scores, while also blocking a punt that was converted for six points. For those efforts, Collins was named 2001 Division II Mid-Major Coach of the Year by Football Gazette magazine, having previously been named twice as Eastern Football Conference Coach of the Year in 1999 and 2000. The latter two awards were in recognition of the team’s consecutive Atlantic Division championships. Following the 2000 campaign in which the Pioneers won their second-consecutive Eastern Football Conference title, all four C.W. Post starting defensive linemen were recognized with postseason hardware, a nod to their standout performances. That accomplishment was acknowledged by American Football Monthly magazine, which tabbed Collins as its Division II Defensive Coordinator of the Year in its September 2001 issue. The aforementioned running game has been the hallmark of Collins’ offense since his arrival. Following a 7-3 mark in his first year, Collins made the team’s offensive backfield a top priority. The result was a 1,000-yard rusher (Rick Haering) in 1999, the school’s first pair of 1,000-yard rushers in 2000 (Haering and Smart) and the leading rusher in all of college football (Smart) for 2001. Smart ended his collegiate career as the all-time leader in touchdowns (95) and scoring (570 points) and yards per carry (7.58). He also finished as the #4 rusher in college football history with 6,647 yards, despite being removed from countless games due to lopsided scores in favor of C.W. Post. Collins has been a part of the Pioneer program for nearly a decade. He spent five seasons as an assistant coach with the Pioneers, including 1996-97 as the team’s defensive coordinator under former C.W. Post tutor Tom Marshall. A 1987 graduate of St. John’s University, Collins played linebacker for the Red Storm. Following graduation, he served for three seasons as an assistant coach at St. Francis Prep, during which time the Little Terriers captured three Catholic League championships. Collins served as an assistant defensive coach with C.W. Post from 1991-93, helping the Pioneers to the 1993 ECAC IFC Division II Championship, the first postseason win in the history of the program. He then accepted the defensive coordinator position at Kings Point, where he led the Mariners to their first ever NCAA Division III Tournament berth in 1994. Returning to C.W. Post prior to the 1996 season, Collins spearheaded the Pioneer defense to the ECAC/IFC Division II Championship with a 29-0 win over Bentley. That season, seven of C.W. Post’s defensive starters were named to either the ECAC IFC All-Star Team or the Don Hansen’s Football Gazette All-Star Team. The following year, Collins’ defensive skills were again on display as opponents managed only 49 points over the final seven games of the 1997 season (7.0 points per game) while the Pioneer defense did not allow a touchdown in three of its last four contests. Collins currently serves as a member of three committees for the American Football Coaches Association: the Rules Committee, the weekly coaches’ polls and All-America selections. In addition, he had an article published in the orga-
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nization’s 2001 journal titled “When It Counts - Goal Line Defense: We’re All There.” In May 2002, Collins authored another article for the publication entitled, “Roll Call at the Ball,” imparting his knowledge of defensive tactics. Off the field, Collins has included community service as a part of his players’ responsibilities. Among the efforts since his arrival have been visitations to the St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital in Bayside, NY, while also volunteering with other charitable organizations. He has also met with and assisted the National Football League in the New York area with its High School Player Development program, which seeks to foster increased interest in the sport along with supplementing the football budgets of schools. He has also worked with the National Football Foundation (New York City chapter) in enhancing its Play It Smart campaign. Collins and his wife, Patti, reside in Sayville, N.Y. with their son, Tyler (15), and daughter Megan (10).
The Collins File • 1987-89
Coaching Experience Asst. Coach Asst. Coach Asst. Coach Asst. Coach Head Coach
St. Francis Prep. High School C.W. Post Kings Point C.W. Post C.W. Post
• 1991-93 • 1994-95 • 1996-97 • 1998- pres.
• 13th Season • 93-39 career collegiate record • 13 shutouts • 51 games allowing under 10 points • Northeast-10 Coach of the Year, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005 • D-II Defensive Coordinator of the Year, 2000 • D-II Mid-Major Coach of the Year, 2001 • AFCA Regional Coach of the Year, 2002 • 2005 College Sports Div. II Team of the Year
Career Notes and Highlights
Year-by-Year Collegiate Head Coaching Record
1998 7-3 1999 9-2 2000 8-2 2001 11-1 2002 11-1 2003 9-2 2004 8-3 2005 10-3 2006 7-3 2007 4-6 2008 3-8 2009 6-5
Total
93-39
2010 C.W. POST FOOTBALL
EFC Atlantic Division Champions EFC Atlantic Division Champions NE-10 Champions NE-10 Champions, NCAA First Round NE-10 Champions NCAA First Round NE-10 Champions NCAA Quarterfinals NE-10 Champions