Gators Defensive Coordinator Collins an American Voice in British Football Circles
Saturday, August 1, 2015 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- It originated from a single tweet.
First-year Gators defensive coordinator Geoff Collins is a big soccer fan. His interest in what Pelé coined "the beautiful game" stretches far beyond the typical 44-year-old American's interest in the World Cup or Olympics.
Start talking to Collins about soccer, and he'll start dropping Tottenham Hotspur references into the conversation the same way he might reference three-deep zones and pursuit drills during football season.
So, back to that tweet.
In his first season at Mississippi State four years ago, Collins was watching the English Premiere League championship won by Manchester United.
He fired off a tweet that caught the attention of someone with the British American Football Coaching Association.
Collins knew about Stoke City and Aston Villa and other English Premier League franchises, but the BAFCA was a mystery.
"One of the coaches from England reached out to me, asked if I would come over and speak to them,'' Collins said this week. "I didn't know anything about it. So my wife and I went over there."
Collins spoke to dozens of coaches about defensive concepts and philosophy during the three-day convention. Longtime NFL coach Al Saunders, a London native, served as the offensive mastermind.
Collins had a blast, made some new friends, and appreciated the interest the group showed in learning more about American football. A year ago at Mississippi State, one of the young coaches he met at the convention in 2011 served as a temporary graduate assistant for the Bulldogs.
When the organization invited Collins to return to speak at its annual convention this year from July 10-12, Collins and his wife Jennifer prepared for another European vacation.
This time, the BAFCA convention was held in Stoke-on-Trent in Northern England.
Collins noticed a significant difference.
"There was probably twice as many people this time as the first time,'' he said. "It was a packed house. I probably got 50 to 75 emails with follow-up questions. Good questions. They love this and anything we can give them they appreciate."
Over three days speaking to an assortment of coaches and players involved in the sport primarily on a grass-roots level, Collins discussed defensive philosophy the first day, coverage techniques on day two, and specific drills to implement on the third day.
He brought along film of the Gators and other stops in his career to use as a teaching tool.
"They just want to talk ball and love it,'' he said.
Much like soccer in America, football in Europe is beginning to really take hold after decades of lukewarm interest derived from the game's biggest events.
The NFL now plays regular-season games in London annually and speculation is that one day the league will have a franchise there.
Meanwhile, professional soccer clubs such as Orlando City FC have been greeted with enthusiasm unseen in Florida since the Tampa Bay Rowdies' heyday in the mid-1970s when Pelé was at the height of his popularity around the globe.
Collins made sure to feed his soccer fandom while in England. He and Jennifer rented a car and visited several of England's top soccer stadiums.
"Got a little station wagon and toured around like the Griswalds,'' he said.
They visited the Manchester United stadium, Manchester City, Liverpool, Everton, Stoke City and Celtic Park in Glasgow, home of Celtic Football Club in the Scottish Premiership League.
Collins spent much of his time in England draped in his Florida orange and blue coaching attire.
However, his British friends offered some friendly advice when they heard about the trip to Celtic Park.
"If you go, you cannot wear red and cannot wear blue at anytime,'' they told him.
"I made sure I wore something else,'' Collins said.
During the two-week trip, Collins also made a trip to St. Andrews in Scotland. He attended a practice round for the British Open and while in the pro shop looking for some attire, he turned around and met one of Orlando's most famous residents: Arnold Palmer.
Palmer was at St. Andrews to play in a legends event and was shopping for some clothes as well.
"I turn around, he is standing right there next to me,'' Collins said. "That was cool. I had my picture made with Arnold Palmer."
Collins' tweet four years ago has paid off rather nicely.
