Penn State announces Stacy Collins as new special teams coordinator
Penn State head coach James Franklin wasted no time.
One day after Oregon officially introduced Joe Lorig as its new special teams coordinator, the Nittany Lions welcomed Stacy Collins to fill the vacated position. Collins will also man Penn State’s outside linebackers and the nickel position among his coaching duties.
Collins arrives from a one year stint as special teams coordinator at Boise State, where he helped the Broncos produce a combined seven blocked punts and kicks. The four blocked kicks ranked first in the Mountain West and ninth nationally, while three blocked punts was also good for first in the conference and seventh nationally. Two blocked punts were returned for touchdowns.
In a press release announcing the hire, Franklin acknowledged the depth of Collins’ 24 years of coaching experience and the value being brought into the program.
“We are excited to welcome Stacy Collins to Happy Valley,” said Franklin. “As a veteran coach, Stacy brings a wide variety of experiences to our staff having served as a head coach, defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator during his career. He will bring significant value to our program and has a great depth of special teams knowledge and has found great success as a coordinator.
“His coaching style on special teams will allow us to continue our strong tradition as a special teams unit. I am thrilled to have Stacy, his wife Mandi, and their four daughters join our Penn State Football family.”
Named as Boise State’s special teams coordinator for the 2021 season, Collins’ history also includes defensive coordinator experience at Utah State, as well as running backs coach and linebackers coach responsibilities.
Credited with aiding in the development of placekicker Dominique Eberle, Collins has a first-team All-Mountain West product to his resume, as well as a first-team all-MWC return man in Savon Scarver. These, on top of his most recent highlights included Broncos kicker Jonah Dalmas landing first-team All-Mountain West honors with a mark of 26-for-28 on field goals and 38-of-39 makes on PATs.
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Joining a Penn State program that places an especially high priority on special teams, Collins explained via press release his anticipation for the move.
“I’m extremely excited about the opportunity to work under the leadership of Coach Franklin and join the Penn State family,” said Collins. “I look forward to developing and growing our special teams units which has had a history of success during coach’s tenure.
“I’m also excited to work with Coach Diaz and the defensive staff to continue to build on the strong defensive tradition of Penn State. My family and I can’t wait to start this new chapter in Happy Valley.”
With the move, Penn State becomes Collins’ 11th different stop through his coaching career.
They include: Western Oregon, Vienna (Austria), South Dakota School of Mines, Western Washington, Idaho State, Southern Oregon, Central Washington, Portland State, Utah State, and Boise State. His resume also includes experience as a head coach, defensive coordinator, special teams coordinator, safeties, defensive line, and linebackers coaching responsibilities.
He originally hails from Sutherlin, Oregon, and is a product of Western Oregon University.
