Alex Collins Signs with Arkansas, Drama Comes to End, Kind of
By Ryan Wright
Alex Collins officially signed with the University of Arkansas Razorbacks on Thursday. Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Fayetteville, Ark. – The Alex Collins drama from Wednesday caught attention and national headlines from seemingly every major news media outlet in the nation by the end of National Signing Day.
Collins officially signed his letter of intent on Thursday with the University of Arkansas but what was supposed to be a nice moment for one of the best running backs in the nation on Wednesday ended in frustration and unwanted attention.
Collins verbally announced his decision to attend Arkansas on Monday, Feb. 4 on Fox Sports. He picked the Razorbacks over in-state favorite University of Miami, a team he was once committed to, along with offers from Texas, Florida State, Florida, and Wisconsin.
What was going on behind the scenes was unknown to the rest of college football, Collins’ mother, Andrea McDonald, staged a signing day coup that has never happened until yesterday.
Minutes before Collins’ was to sign his letter of intent she took the paperwork sent from Arkansas leaving the grounds thus not allowing her son to sign his NLI with the Razorbacks preferring he stay close to home and sign with the University of Miami. Collins was forced to cancel his signing day press conference coolly saying he and his family need more time to talk about his decision.
Come Thursday Collins’ father, Johnny Collins, signed his son’s paperwork at a make-shift signing day celebration at a local restaurant making the signing official… but wait there’s more.
Andrea McDonald has reportedly hired an attorney to “protect the family’s interest” and “clear up any false or inaccurate statements in the press” only continuing the unneeded saga for the No. 1 running back in the nation.
Collins had this to say about what transpired, “I’m happy. I’m excited. I’m glad it’s over. I didn’t think about going anywhere else because I had my mind set. I just talked to my mom. I let her know. I explained myself and we had a better understanding.”
The comments by Collins came before he found out his mother had hired an attorney. Reports are Collins was shocked to hear that his mom had hired an attorney. Per reports Collins does not live with him mother full-time which could play into the misunderstanding between mother and son.
Since Collins’ father signed his letter of intent little can be done by his mother to stop Collins from attending Arkansas and forcing him to play at Miami, a school he would have signed with if that was what he truly wanted to do.
The following Twitter posts by Collins outline the events and his responses leading up to and after he signed his NLI.
I went to sleep early so tomorrow would come by faster then I wake up at 3 am! Forced 2 sit here an think about it I can’t go back 2 sleep !
Everything is gonna be alright
Goodnight twitter fam, thanks 4 the love and support I’ve been getting from every1, I really appreciate it! I READ all. It will be over soon
Finally over! Finally a razorback! I’m glad this is over alot of weight off my shoulders happy to be a hog! The camo suit was for the fans!!
Alex Collins Bio
At 5’11”, 210 pounds, Collins got immediate attention in 2011 as a junior and first-year player for South Plantation High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Rushing for 1,786 yards with 28 touchdowns, Collins was named Broward County Player of the Year competing in the state’s high classification, 8-A.
In 2012 Collins proved his first year running with the pigskin was no fluke. Rushing for over 1,200 yards with 14 touchdowns in limited action, Collins became one of the top targets of every BCS program in Division-I.
247Sports rates the Arkansas Razorback 2013 recruiting class No. 22 in the nation.
Arkansas Razorback Commitments for the 2013 Recruiting Class
1. QB Austin Allen, 6’2”, 217 pounds, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 4-Star
2. LB Brooks Ellis, 6’2”, 215 pounds, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 3-Star
3. SS Alex Brignoni, 6’1”, 190 pounds, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 3-Star
4. TE Hunter Henry, 6’6”, 235 pounds, Little Rock, Arkansas, 4-Star
5. LB Myke Tavarres, 6’2”, 220 pounds, Weed (JC), California, 3-Star*
6. CB Carroll Washington, 6’0”, 175 pounds, Salinas (JC), California, 4-Star*
7. DE Tevin Beanum, 6’4”, 235 pounds, Forrest City, Arkansas, 3-Star
8. OT John McClure, 6’4”, 310 pounds, El Dorado (JC), Texas, 3-Star*
9. WR Drew Morgan, 6’0”, 185 pounds, Greenwood, Arkansas, 3-Star
10. SS Tiquention Coleman, 5’10”, 200 pounds, Milledgeville (JC), Georgia, 3-Star*
11. LB Martrell Spaight, 6’0”, 220 pounds, Coffeyville (JC), Kansas, 3-Star*
12. P Sam Irwin-Hill, 6’3”, 210 pound, City College of San Francisco (JC), 2-Star
13. OG Reeve Koehler, 6’3”, 320 pounds, Honolulu, Hawaii, 4-Star
14. FS De’Andre Coley, 6’1”, 185 pounds, Miami, Florida, 2-Star
15. CB D.J. Dean, 5’10”, 185 pounds, Newton, Texas, 3-Star
16. DT Ke’tyrus Marks, 6’2”, 285 pounds, Riviera Beach, Florida, 3-Star
17. OT Dan Skipper, 6’10”, 292 pounds, Arvada, Colorado, 3-Star
18. SS Korliss Marshall, 6’0”, 190 ponds, Osceola, Arkansas, 3-Star
19. RB Denzell Evans, 6’0”, 205 pounds, Bellaire, Texas, 3-Star
20. CB Melvinson Hartfield, 5’11”, 185 pounds, Dallas, Texas, 3-Star
21. OT Denver Kirkland, 6’5”, 333 pounds, Miami, Florida, 4-Star
22. QB DamonMitchell, 6’2”, 190 pounds, Egg Harbor City, NJ, 4-Star
23. RB Alex Collins, 5’11”, 210 pounds, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 5-Star*
* Denotes already enrolled at Arkansas.
Arkansas Razorback Commitments for the 2014 Recruiting Class
1. QB Rafe Peavey, Bolivar, Missouri, 4-Star
2. DT Bijhon Jackson, El Dorado, Arkansas, 4-Star
3. RB Juan Day, North Little Rock, Arkansas, not rated
Verbal commitments are non-binding.
Arkansas Razorback Walk-ons for 2013
1. QB A.J. Derby, Iowa City, Iowa
2. FB Patick Arinze, San Diego, California
3. OT Austin Boice, Lamar, Missouri