Arkansas freshman Alex Collins has done something no other SEC running back has ever done. Herschel Walker didn’t do it. Bo Jackson didn’t do it. Mark Ingram didn’t do it. And yet Collins, who a year ago was playing for South Plantation High School in Ft. Lauderdale, has done it.
He’s the first running back in Southeastern Conference history to rush for 100 yards in his first three games. Collins, a 5-foot-11, 206-pounder, is the first freshman in FBS history to start his career with three consecutive 100-yard games since Adrian Peterson did it at Oklahoma in 2004.
Now five games into his collegiate career, Collins is leading the SEC in rushing with 597 yards on 100 carries. He’s averaging 119.4 yards rushing per game, which is second in the SEC behind South Carolina sophomore Mike Davis’ 127.0 yards per game, and 16th in the NCAA.
It is a pretty impressive resume for a player who has yet to start a single game.
Collins is second on the Arkansas depth chart behind 6-0, 222-pound Jonathan Williams, the Razorbacks starting running back who has rushed for 94.2 yards per game on 477 yards on 73 carries. Collins and Williams, a sophomore, have each scored three touchdowns.
Collins gets stronger as defenses wear down. He leads the SEC — and ranks second nationally — with 221 rushing yards in the fourth quarter.
Collins has led Arkansas in rushing three times this season. Williams has led the team in rushing twice. The duo have been perfect fits for Bret Bielema’s ground-oriented offensive attack and two of the main reasons the Razorbacks are 3-2 on the season. Collins was named SEC Freshman of the Week for both Sept. 9th and 16th.
After Arkansas downed Southern Miss 24-3, Bielema tipped his hat to Collins’ accomplishment.
“Alex being the first freshman running back in SEC history to go for three 100-yard games out of the gate; A lot of great players have come through this league so obviously that’s a nice feather in his cap,” Bielema said.
Collins is humbled by the accolades that have come his way this season.
“I am honored,” Collins said. “I have to give my offensive line credit first, and my whole offense. The defense had a good stand out there today. I just appreciate all of the things everyone has been doing for me.”
Arkansas held a slim 10-3 lead over the Golden Eagles at halftime but the Razorbacks pulled away in the second half behind touchdowns by both Collins and Williams.
“We did the same thing that we do every week. We went into halftime and saw what we were doing wrong and tried to make up for our mistakes we made in the first half so when we went back out for the second half, we had a better game,” said Collins.
Collins rushed 14 times for 116 yards and a touchdown while adding one reception for four yards in the Razorbacks 45-33 loss to 10th-ranked Texas A&M.
“I thought Alex Collins provided a spark. He and (Jonathan) Williams did some good things,” said Bielema after the Texas A&M game, but he could have been talking about the entire season.
The Razorbacks have a big game on tap this weekend when they go to Gainesville to meet the Florida Gators. But as far as Bielema is concerned, the game goes beyond just this weekend. His outstanding freshman running back is from the Sunshine State and Bielema believes a win over Florida would do wonders for Arkansas recruiting in Florida.
“I’ve never played Florida. I played Florida State one time and Miami one time,” said Bielema.”I think, obviously, Randy Shannon’s background and Charlie Partridge’s background, two coaches who were born in the state of Florida and grew up down there. One was a former head coach at Miami and draws a lot of interest because of the relationships that I’ve built during my entire head coaching career as an assistant.
“Going back to 1993 when I first began, I think I’ve signed over 60 players from Palm Beach or Dade (counties). I’ve got players now that have kin that are cousins or brothers or whatever that are giving us players. So, to go down there and beat one of the ‘Big Three’ would be a big deal because it gives Arkansas a little bit of relevance in the SEC. Really any time you’re playing in the SEC they’re all pretty big, as far as recruiting.”