What Does 2014 Look Like for Alex Collins?

It’s hard not to like Alex Collins. Even if the south Florida native and current Fayetteville, Ark., resident and returning star running back for the Arkansas Razorbacks couldn’t carry a football for 3 yards in a year, we’re certain he would be someone many would want as a friend.

A check of Collins’ tweeter feed shows he is an engaging young man; someone who is quick to pose with a fan for a photo; a guy who loves where he is and who is.

Here is a sampling of some of his recent posts:

He also works hard, and as a result, Alex Collins can carry a football for lots of yards, and that doesn’t usually hurt one in the Friends Department, especially in SEC Country.

Alex Collins and teammates during spring practice 2014

Let’s take a look at his Freshmen results:

Alex Collins was named SEC Freshman of the Year, Freshman All-American and to the SEC All-Freshman Team after the 2013 season.

He became the first freshman in SEC history to start his career with three straight 100-yard rushing games and the first true freshman in FBS since Oklahoma’s Adrian Peterson in 2004 to do it.

Collins became the second freshman in school history, 10th true freshman in SEC history and 68th true freshman in NCAA history to reach 1,000 rushing yards, finishing the season with 1,026 on 190 carries with four touchdowns. He added 63 yards on 11 receptions for a team-high 1,089 all-purpose yards.

His four 100-yard rushing games ranked second in school history among freshmen and tied for second in the nation for 2013 freshmen. He led all NCAA freshmen in rushing yards.

He ranked seventh in the SEC with an average of 85.5 rushing yards per game, and his 90.8 all-purpose yards per game was the 18th-highest average in the conference.

Alex Collins ranked 12th in the NCAA, first among freshmen, with 382 rushing yards against ranked opponents. He led the SEC and was ninth in the country with 355 4th-quarter rushing yards, and his nine rushes of 10-plus yards in the 4th quarter were tied for first in the SEC and for 14th in the country.

His 16 rushes of 10-plus yards on 2nd down led the SEC and tied for eighth in the nation, and he was fourth in the conference and tied for 25th in the nation with 25 1st-down rushes on 2nd down.

He opened his career with 131 yards on 21 carries vs. Louisiana, becoming the first Arkansas freshman to top 100 rushing yards in his collegiate debut since Felix Jones in 2005. The next week he rushed for 172 yards and one touchdown on 24 carries and was named SEC Freshman of the Week. He earned the conference’s Freshman of the Week nod again the next week after his 25-carry, 115-yard, one-touchdown performance vs. Southern Miss.

He rushed 16 times for 63 yards and caught one nine-yard pass at Rutgers.

He topped 100 yards again vs. No. 10 Texas A&M, finishing the game with 116 yards and one touchdown on 14 carries plus one four-yard reception.

In a return to his home state, he led Arkansas in rushing and receiving with 54 yards on 13 carries and 45 yards on five catches vs. No. 18 Florida.

He rushed 10 times for 69 yards and one touchdown and caught one six-yard pass vs. No. 14 South Carolina.

At No. 1 Alabama, he rushed 18 times for 77 yards and made one reception.

He gained 92 yards on 18 carries vs. No. 8 Auburn.

At Ole Miss, he collected 57 yards rushing on 10 carries and also caught two passes.

He gained 52 yards on 10 carries vs. Mississippi State.

He eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark at No. 15 LSU, where he finished the game with 28 yards rushing.

Here is a video rewind of Alex Collins’ 2013 season.

There are already writers around the nation suggesting Collins may have an even bigger year in 2014 than he had in his debut season as a Razorback. Only time will tell, but now is the time to dream, speculate and debate.

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