Football
Chris Collins
- Title:
- Safeties
Chris Collins enters his first season as the team's safeties coach.
He was a vital role in the developing a Kentucky secondary that has had three-straight NFL draftees, including 2025 first round selection Maxwell Hairston, who was the highest-drafted defensive back in program history.
Collins has spent five seasons (2021-25) at Kentucky in the role of co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach, under recently hired Gators’ defensive coordinator Brad White. In 2025 and for the fourth straight season – 2024 (10), 2023 (11) and 2022 (10) – the Kentucky defense had double-digit interceptions with 12, which ranked third in the SEC while Ty Bryant tied for the conference-high (4) and ranked 24th nationally. In two of the last three seasons, a Kentucky defensive back has led the conference in interceptions (Maxwell Hairston – 5, 2023). Bryant was also UK’s lone All-SEC selection this season.
“Coach Collins brings great experience to our defensive staff, as well as an extensive history working alongside Coach Brad White,” Sumrall said. “Coach Collins will be a great asset for our program with his proven ability to develop and maximize the talent of his players.”
Known for building a strong secondary, Collins produced three-straight NFL draftees from the secondary, which has only happened twice in program history (1995-97) at Kentucky. In the 2024 NFL Draft, Andru Phillips was taken in the third round by the New York Giants as the year prior, Carrington Valentine declared early and was selected in the seventh round by the Green Bay Packers after he placed him top-10 in passes defended (11) in the SEC. Keidron Smith, a transfer from Ole Miss, earned Second Team All-SEC honors in his lone season at UK in 2022 and signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and currently plays for the Denver Broncos.
“I’m blessed and thankful to be a part of the great staff that Coach Sumrall has assembled here at Florida,” Collins said.
Collins helped lead a Wildcats defense that finished top-45 FBS defenses from 2021-24, featuring four top-25 defenses in 2021 and 2022. In 2024, the Wildcats finished sixth in the FBS in red zone defense (70.8%) and 21st in passing defense (183.7). Collins’ second season (2022) produce a truly historic defensive performance in which the Wildcats finished seventh in the FBS in passing defense (170.8), 11th in total defense (311.4) and 13th in scoring defense (19.2). Each of those statistics ranked among the top three in the SEC.
He arrived to Lexington after four seasons (2017-20) as the safeties coach at Georgia State, helping the Panthers reach a bowl game three times and winning two of them, including the program’s first-ever bowl victory in 2017 against Western Kentucky in the AutoNation Cure Bowl.
Despite the challenges of navigating a season during COVID-19, the Panthers finished with a 6-4 overall record that included a 39-21 win over Western Kentucky in the 2020 LendingTree Bowl. Collins mentored redshirt freshman safety Antavious Lane, who tied the school record for interceptions (4) in a season in just eight games played. Lane went on to earn second-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors and was a member of the Associated Press All-Bowl team after totaling five tackles and an interception, the first pick thrown by WKU QB Tyrell Pigrome all season after 278 attempts. He also helped the GSU defense allow just 284 total yards in the game.
Addition to coaching safeties, Collins added the responsibility of recruiting coordinator in 2019, helping GSU sign a 2020 recruiting class that had the highest average player ranking in program history, according to 247Sports. In Collins’ first year at GSU in 2017, he helped coach a defensive unit that set the school’s season record for fewest points allowed per game (24.75), while tutoring All-Sun Belt Conference safety Bryan Williams, who tied the school record for interceptions in a season with four.
Prior to Georgia State, he coached linebackers at his alma mater, Western Carolina, in 2016. He was an integral part in helping Tyson Dickson earn second-team All-Southern Conference honors by the league’s head coaches with 86 tackles.
Collins spent the 2015 season as a defensive graduate assistant coach at Appalachian State, helping the Mountaineers to an 11-2 record and a victory over Ohio in the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl. He worked closely with all-conference linebacker Devan Stringer.
From 2013-14, he served as the secondary coach and special teams coordinator at Catawba College while also serving as the academic coordinator. At Catawba, Collins coached All-America defensive back L.J. McCray, who went on to play three seasons in the NFL after signing as a free agent, as well as two all-conference selections in defensive back Mark McDaniel and punter Caleb Berry.
Collins was a four-year letter winner and two-year captain as a safety and outside linebacker at Western Carolina from 2006-09. He recorded 303 tackles during his collegiate career, including 109 as a senior in 2009, when he earned second-team All-Southern Conference recognition. He finished his career with 19 tackles for loss (including 12.5 as a senior), nine forced fumbles (including a SoCon-best six as a junior) and five pass breakups.
A three-time member of the SoCon’s academic honor roll, Collins graduated from Western Carolina in 2010 with a degree in construction management and a minor in business administration.
Following the conclusion of his playing career, he spent three seasons on WCU’s coaching staff, first as a student assistant in 2010 and as a defensive assistant in 2011-12, working primarily with the Catamounts’ linebackers and defensive backs. In 2010, he helped tutor freshman defensive back Randy Pressely, who was named to the SoCon Coaches’ All-Freshman Team.
The High Point, North Carolina native, graduated from T.W. Andrews High School. He is married to the former Kiara Crutchfield of Greensboro, N.C. The couple has two sons, Christopher and Kyle.
Chris Collins Coaching History
Chris Collins NFL Draft Picks
He was a vital role in the developing a Kentucky secondary that has had three-straight NFL draftees, including 2025 first round selection Maxwell Hairston, who was the highest-drafted defensive back in program history.
Collins has spent five seasons (2021-25) at Kentucky in the role of co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach, under recently hired Gators’ defensive coordinator Brad White. In 2025 and for the fourth straight season – 2024 (10), 2023 (11) and 2022 (10) – the Kentucky defense had double-digit interceptions with 12, which ranked third in the SEC while Ty Bryant tied for the conference-high (4) and ranked 24th nationally. In two of the last three seasons, a Kentucky defensive back has led the conference in interceptions (Maxwell Hairston – 5, 2023). Bryant was also UK’s lone All-SEC selection this season.
“Coach Collins brings great experience to our defensive staff, as well as an extensive history working alongside Coach Brad White,” Sumrall said. “Coach Collins will be a great asset for our program with his proven ability to develop and maximize the talent of his players.”
Known for building a strong secondary, Collins produced three-straight NFL draftees from the secondary, which has only happened twice in program history (1995-97) at Kentucky. In the 2024 NFL Draft, Andru Phillips was taken in the third round by the New York Giants as the year prior, Carrington Valentine declared early and was selected in the seventh round by the Green Bay Packers after he placed him top-10 in passes defended (11) in the SEC. Keidron Smith, a transfer from Ole Miss, earned Second Team All-SEC honors in his lone season at UK in 2022 and signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and currently plays for the Denver Broncos.
“I’m blessed and thankful to be a part of the great staff that Coach Sumrall has assembled here at Florida,” Collins said.
Collins helped lead a Wildcats defense that finished top-45 FBS defenses from 2021-24, featuring four top-25 defenses in 2021 and 2022. In 2024, the Wildcats finished sixth in the FBS in red zone defense (70.8%) and 21st in passing defense (183.7). Collins’ second season (2022) produce a truly historic defensive performance in which the Wildcats finished seventh in the FBS in passing defense (170.8), 11th in total defense (311.4) and 13th in scoring defense (19.2). Each of those statistics ranked among the top three in the SEC.
He arrived to Lexington after four seasons (2017-20) as the safeties coach at Georgia State, helping the Panthers reach a bowl game three times and winning two of them, including the program’s first-ever bowl victory in 2017 against Western Kentucky in the AutoNation Cure Bowl.
Despite the challenges of navigating a season during COVID-19, the Panthers finished with a 6-4 overall record that included a 39-21 win over Western Kentucky in the 2020 LendingTree Bowl. Collins mentored redshirt freshman safety Antavious Lane, who tied the school record for interceptions (4) in a season in just eight games played. Lane went on to earn second-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors and was a member of the Associated Press All-Bowl team after totaling five tackles and an interception, the first pick thrown by WKU QB Tyrell Pigrome all season after 278 attempts. He also helped the GSU defense allow just 284 total yards in the game.
Addition to coaching safeties, Collins added the responsibility of recruiting coordinator in 2019, helping GSU sign a 2020 recruiting class that had the highest average player ranking in program history, according to 247Sports. In Collins’ first year at GSU in 2017, he helped coach a defensive unit that set the school’s season record for fewest points allowed per game (24.75), while tutoring All-Sun Belt Conference safety Bryan Williams, who tied the school record for interceptions in a season with four.
Prior to Georgia State, he coached linebackers at his alma mater, Western Carolina, in 2016. He was an integral part in helping Tyson Dickson earn second-team All-Southern Conference honors by the league’s head coaches with 86 tackles.
Collins spent the 2015 season as a defensive graduate assistant coach at Appalachian State, helping the Mountaineers to an 11-2 record and a victory over Ohio in the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl. He worked closely with all-conference linebacker Devan Stringer.
From 2013-14, he served as the secondary coach and special teams coordinator at Catawba College while also serving as the academic coordinator. At Catawba, Collins coached All-America defensive back L.J. McCray, who went on to play three seasons in the NFL after signing as a free agent, as well as two all-conference selections in defensive back Mark McDaniel and punter Caleb Berry.
Collins was a four-year letter winner and two-year captain as a safety and outside linebacker at Western Carolina from 2006-09. He recorded 303 tackles during his collegiate career, including 109 as a senior in 2009, when he earned second-team All-Southern Conference recognition. He finished his career with 19 tackles for loss (including 12.5 as a senior), nine forced fumbles (including a SoCon-best six as a junior) and five pass breakups.
A three-time member of the SoCon’s academic honor roll, Collins graduated from Western Carolina in 2010 with a degree in construction management and a minor in business administration.
Following the conclusion of his playing career, he spent three seasons on WCU’s coaching staff, first as a student assistant in 2010 and as a defensive assistant in 2011-12, working primarily with the Catamounts’ linebackers and defensive backs. In 2010, he helped tutor freshman defensive back Randy Pressely, who was named to the SoCon Coaches’ All-Freshman Team.
The High Point, North Carolina native, graduated from T.W. Andrews High School. He is married to the former Kiara Crutchfield of Greensboro, N.C. The couple has two sons, Christopher and Kyle.
Chris Collins Coaching History
| Year | Position, School |
|---|---|
| 2026-pres. | Safeties, Florida |
| 2021-25 | Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs, Kentucky |
| 2019-20 | Safeties/Recruiting Coordinator, Georgia State |
| 2017-18 | Safeties, Georgia State |
| 2016 | Linebackers Coach, Western Carolina |
| 2015 | Graduate Assistant, Appalachian State |
| 2013-14 | Secondary/Special Teams Coordinator, Catawba |
| 2011-12 | Defensive Assistant, Western Carolina |
| 2010 | Student Assistant, Western Carolina |
Chris Collins NFL Draft Picks
| Year | Round | Name | Position | Team | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | Maxwell Hairston | CB | Buffalo Bills | Kentucky |
| 2025 | 4 | Deone Walker | DT | Buffalo Bills | Kentucky |
| 2024 | 3 | Andru Phillips | DB | New York Giants | Kentucky |
| 2024 | 3 | Trevin Wallace | LB | Carolina Panthers | Kentucky |
| 2023 | 7 | Carrington Valentine | DB | Green Bay Packers | Kentucky |
| 2022 | 2 | Josh Paschal | DE | Detroit Lions | Kentucky |
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