Penn State's Audavion Collins Allows Four Passes in Seven Games
The redshirt senior ranks first in FBS for pass breakups among cornerbacks with 150 or more coverage snaps.
By Grace Anderson ·
Chase Sowell arrived at Penn State this year after transfers through Colorado, East Carolina and Iowa State. Audavion Collins took a different path to State College, spending one year at Mississippi State before Nittany Lions' cornerbacks coach Terry Smith recruited him in 2023. During preseason practices, the two were matched against each other repeatedly. Sowell said the competition began as hostility. "I think the thing with 'AC' (Collins) is like, man, we hated each other when I first got here," Sowell said Tuesday. The tension shifted once both players understood the other wanted to win the matchup, Sowell said.
Collins has allowed four completions across Penn State's first seven games, according to Pro Football Focus. That total is the lowest in FBS among cornerbacks who have played at least 150 coverage snaps. He leads the team with eight pass breakups and serves on the punt team's coverage unit. Sowell leads Penn State with 34 receptions for 510 yards.
The 247Sports rankings listed Collins as the 753rd overall prospect in the 2022 class. He is 5 feet 11 and 183 pounds.
Penn State coach Matt Campbell said Wednesday that Collins has been exceptional in practice since winter conditioning. He described a player whose performance on weekdays matches his Saturdays. "I think 'AC' has been exceptional," Campbell said. "As we continue to talk about the type of team we want to have .. one of the guys that I would say has embodied that to a 'T' so far, has been AC."
Sowell said Collins does not speak often, but teammates listen when he does. He also drew a comparison between their backgrounds. "Him being a guy that kind of had the same journey as me, as far as, (Collins) being at Mississippi State, being overlooked, he's an under-recruited guy," Sowell said. "Coach Terry (Smith) takes him under his wing. Nobody really believes in him. He got one guy (Smith) that believes in him. He believes in himself, and he takes off with it."
Penn State enters Saturday's game against Purdue with a 3-4 record, including 0-4 in conference play. Purdue is 3-4 overall and 2-2 in conference games.
