Close X
Saturday, March 1, 2025
ADVT 
Sports

Former NFL Receiver Austin Collie Making The Transition To Canadian Football

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 04 May, 2015 09:43 PM
    SURREY, B.C. — Austin Collie recognizes the situation is a little strange. Despite having never suited up for a down of Canadian football, the former NFL receiver counts as a national player for the B.C. Lions.
     
    Born in Hamilton while his father was playing in the CFL with the Tiger-Cats, Collie took up football after the family relocated to California.
     
    Collie was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in 2009 out of Brigham Young University and caught passes from Peyton Manning for four seasons, but a series of injuries — including three concussions — meant that the phone eventually stopped ringing with NFL teams interested in his services.
     
    That's when he decided to give three-down football a try in the country of his birth despite having never stepped on the longer, wider field with an extra player until the Lions held a three-day offensive minicamp last week.
     
    "It's a little bit different," Collie said after one the workouts. "But football's football."
     
    If he can stay healthy, the 29-year-old could be a key cog for the Lions this season, especially when dressing Canadian players at skill positions means an extra international player can be plugged into another area of need.
     
    Collie registered 179 catches for 1,908 yards and 16 touchdowns in 49 games over his five NFL seasons, but he really made a name for himself over his first three years before the injuries hit. He had just seven catches in six games for the New England Patriots in 2013 and sat out all of 2014.
     
    The bigger field should play to Collie's strengths as B.C. looks to install a high-tempo offensive scheme under new head coach Jeff Tedford, who joins the Lions after a decorated career in U.S. college football.
     
    "I love it. We did a lot of similar things in Indy and New England," Collie said of his early impressions of the offence. "As far as the route concepts it will be pretty easy to get. You've just got to get used to some of the intricate things they do up here in the CFL."
     
    Collie, who signed with the Lions in January, caught the eye of Lions quarterback Travis Lulay, who noted the receiver's professionalism.
     
    "You get the impression he's going to be his own worst critic, which most guys at this level are," said Lulay. "You can tell there's going to be an attention to detail with him in the way he moves, the way he does stuff, seeing how he catches the ball, getting out of his breaks. Those are what you're looking for in a brand-new wideout — and a willingness to learn — and I think he hits all those checks early on here.
     
    "It'll be fun when we get defensive backs and start seeing how guys really go about doing their job, which is getting open and catching the football. But the first impression is really good."
     
    For his part, Tedford has careful to temper his comments on Collie's first few workouts, but he too saw a player that could have an impact for the Lions.
     
    "He's getting the rust off a little bit having not played in a couple years," said the coach. "But he looks really good ... you can tell he's got a lot of skill."

    MORE Sports ARTICLES

    How infamous Italy-Uruguay game became a co-incidental FIFA case study

    How infamous Italy-Uruguay game became a co-incidental FIFA case study
    It was just sheer coincidence that the infamous World Cup Group D clash between Italy and Uruguay in the Brazilian city of Natal became a FIFA case study for referees' instructors.

    How infamous Italy-Uruguay game became a co-incidental FIFA case study

    Saina Nehwal stuns Shixian Wang to enter Australian Open final

    Saina Nehwal stuns Shixian Wang to enter Australian Open final
    India's top shuttler Saina Nehwal came out with her A-level game Saturday to defeat Chinese top seed Shixian Wang and make her first Super Series final in 20 months at the $750,000 Australian Open here.

    Saina Nehwal stuns Shixian Wang to enter Australian Open final

    Andhra court issues arrest warrant against Dhoni

    Andhra court issues arrest warrant against Dhoni
    A court in Andhra Pradesh Tuesday issued an arrest warrant against Indian cricket team captain M.S. Dhoni for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus.

    Andhra court issues arrest warrant against Dhoni

    Willie Desjardins, the new head coach for the Vancouver Canucks

    Willie Desjardins, the new head coach for the Vancouver Canucks
    Willie Desjardins has been hired as the new head coach of Vancouver Canucks.

    Willie Desjardins, the new head coach for the Vancouver Canucks

    Team mates hail Messi's brilliance

    Team mates hail Messi's brilliance
    The Argentina national team gushed over the brilliance of Lionel Messi after scoring the winner against Iran in the third round match of Group F in the 2014 FIFA World Cup seconds before the final whistle.

    Team mates hail Messi's brilliance

    FIFA suspends referee for incorrect decisions

    FIFA suspends referee for incorrect decisions
    FIFA has suspended Colombian assistant referee Humberto Clavijo for making incorrect decisions during the World Cup's Mexico-Cameroon clash June 13 at the Arena das Dunas here.

    FIFA suspends referee for incorrect decisions