ChrisCollins

Chris Collins enters his fifth season at Kentucky coaching the defensive backs and his second as co-defensive coordinator. Since joining the Wildcats in June 2021, Collins has played a key role in developing a secondary that continues to produce high-level talent and results.

Collins has established a reputation for developing elite secondary talent, most recently mentoring Max Hairston—who made history as the first Kentucky defensive back ever selected in the first round of the NFL Draft, going 30th overall to the Buffalo Bills. In the 2024 NFL Draft, Andru Phillips was taken in the third round by the New York Giants following a strong junior campaign in which he tallied 47 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and five pass breakups. Carrington Valentine declared early for the 2023 NFL Draft and was selected in the seventh round by the Green Bay Packers after a junior season that included 48 tackles, 1.5 TFLs, and an SEC top-10 ranking in passes defended (11). Keidron Smith, a transfer from Ole Miss, earned Second Team All-SEC honors in his lone season at UK in 2022, finishing with 46 tackles, five pass breakups, two interceptions, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a tackle for loss. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and currently plays for the Denver Broncos.

Collins led a veteran-laden secondary in 2024 that included NFL talent like Hairston, along with Zion Childress, Jordan Lovett, and JQ Hardaway. Depth behind them featured emerging contributors such as Michigan transfer DJ Waller and hometown product Ty Bryant. Their collective performance helped propel Kentucky’s defense to top-five rankings in the SEC and top-20 nationally in several key categories: red zone defense (70.8%), fewest passing yards allowed per game (183.7), and fewest first downs allowed (215).

The UK defense has finished fourth (2021), second (2022) and seventh (2023) in the SEC in total defense. In 2022, the Cats finished 11th in the nation in total defense, allowing opponents to just 311.4 yards per game in 2022. Kentucky also ranked third in the SEC and 13th in the nation in scoring defense, giving up on average 19.2 points per game, a testament to the defensive back unit.

These accomplishments underscore the impact of a consistently disciplined and well-coached secondary.

Collins came to Kentucky after four seasons (2017-20) as the safeties coach at Georgia State, helping the Panthers advance to a bowl game in three of his four seasons.

In his 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. The Panthers finished 7-5 overall with a 27-17 win over Western Kentucky in the AutoNation Cure Bowl.

In 2019, the Panthers again went 7-5 overall with an appearance in the Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl.
Along with coaching the safeties, he also took on the added responsibility of recruiting coordinator, helping GSU sign a 2020 recruiting class that had the highest average player ranking in program history, according to 247Sports.

Despite the challenges of navigating a season during COVID-19, Collins helped lead the Panthers to a 6-4 overall record which included a 39-21 win over Western Kentucky in the 2020 LendingTree Bowl. Redshirt freshman safety Antavious Lane tied the school record for interceptions in a season with four 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 helped the GSU defense allow just 284 total yards in the game.

Before Georgia State, Collins coached the 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.

He 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 in Salisbury, North Carolina, while also serving as the academic coordinator for the NCAA Division II program. 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, 35, 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.

Collins’ Coaching Career: