BYU football: Can Cougars land Hawaii WR Dylan Collie?
BYU football has a great chance to improve its receiving corp, as Hawaii wide receiver Dylan Collie has announced he’s leaving the Rainbow Warriors.
BYU football’s offensive struggles were well documented last season. Things were so bad it resulted in an entirely new offensive staff being brought in – and now that staff is out on the recruiting trail in hopes of adding a gem or two to BYU’s 2018 signing class.
And now another name is on that list.
Dylan Collie – a 2012 BYU football signee and younger brother of former Cougar great Austin Collie – announced via his Twitter account on Tuesday that he’ll be transferring from Hawaii.
Thank you for the memories Hawai’i, looking forward to the next chapter pic.twitter.com/put31B3L4X
— Dylan Collie (@23Collie) January 17, 2018
Collie graduates in May, too, so he’ll be eligible to play immediately (wherever he lands) as a graduate transfer.
Could a return to BYU football be in the works? There’s no telling what Collie’s top options are at the moment, but on paper, it appears to work out for both sides.
The Cougars desperately need a solid receiver to compliment Matt Bushman. Collie needs a place to play where he’ll immediately make an impact.
He had originally signed with BYU in 2012. He redshirted that same season and then went on a LDS mission. After returning, he transferred to Hawaii. Nothing was ever confirmed, but all signs pointed to disagreements with then-OC Robert Anae.
When Collie committed in 2011, Brandon Doman was the Cougars’ offensive coordinator. In 2013, while Collie was on his mission, Anae was re-hired by Bronco Mendenhall. Reportedly, Anae wasn’t planning on playing the 5-foot-10 wide out.
Collie's beef was probably more with Anae than Holliday, but both coaches told him he'd have a hard time getting playing time post-mission.
— Jay Drew (@drewjay) January 6, 2016
So Collie transferred to Hawaii, where he put up nice numbers over a three-year career on the island.
During his time with the Rainbow Warriors, Collie had 118 receptions for 1,300 yards and nine touchdowns. Last season he caught 56 passes for 636 yards and four scores. Against BYU, he turned in an impressive performance (six receptions, 103 yards).
For the record, his 56 receptions would’ve led BYU football last season (by seven). His 636 yards was 116 more than Bushman (who led the team) and his four touchdowns would’ve led the team as well.
Not too shabby for a player that some coaches, albeit ones that are no longer in Provo, felt they couldn’t find playing time for.
We’ll see if Collie ends up returning to BYU football. If it does, it would be a pretty big get for a lackluster Cougar offense and new OC Jeff Grimes.