Princeton head coach Chris Pedigo knew the challenge that stood in front of him prior to the season.
How would he replace the Moss Award winner in Ethan Parsons and another dynamic receiver in Josiah Honaker?
The two titans both cleared 6-foot-3 and could beat most defenders one-on-one in any given situation. He still had the most important piece returning in all-state QB Great Cochran, but needed another weapon. The search led him to expanding the offense to run the ball more and it worked.
Still there were questions as to who could help in the passing game. With inexperience and injuries a reality for the Tigers they needed to roll the dice on the former. It paid off.
There was a player Pedigo and Co. felt good about coming in – sophomore Dominick Collins.
“I think he’s our top weapon on offense,” Pedigo said. “Peyton’s (Clemons) has come on a little bit too but specifically this started for Dom in the offseason. He was playing freshman basketball and never missed a day in the weight room this past offseason. He has prepared his body and it doesn’t hurt that as a sophomore you run a 4.6 and that’s on the laser. We feel like he’s going to get faster as he goes and he has the chance to be pretty special in the passing game here with what we like to do. He’s been really dynamic in the passing game for us.”
Collins first made an impression when caught a crucial game-tying 2-point conversion against Bluefield late in the fourth quarter. His coming out party took place the following week against Oak Hill.
He returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and also caught a 41-yard scoring strike from Cochran. With the Tigers’ offense living in the world of the short passing game instead of the vertical strike one it did a year ago, the 5-foot-6 receiver with his shifty quickness was a perfect mold.
There was a midseason lull in which the big games on offense weren’t as common but during the final two games of the regular season it all clicked for the sophomore. It started against Greenbrier East when he adjusted to a deep pass, hauling it in for a 52-yard score.
Last week against Parkersburg South he had the best game of his young career, hauling in eight passes for 151 yards and four scores, having a fifth called back on a penalty.
“He had a breakout week last week,” Pedigo said. “He was good in the Oak Hill game but this was a little bit of a different defense than what we saw against Oak hill. These guys were in position and making throws on time and he’s making moves after the catch to extend the play. All the touchdowns Grant threw were to him and he set a new school record. I think the sky’s the limit and I think we have to build off that. Hopefully we can have that same sort of success against Spring Valley. I would anticipate they’ll have an answer for that because we had success with him out of the slot, especially in our trips, but we’ve looked at some different ways to create some mismatches with him. He’s one of those guys we feel might even go to the outside next year to help us stretch the field.”
His impact isn’t limited to the offensive side of the ball.
While he still has some work to do as a defensive back and has taken his lumps, he’s also provided a spark when the Tigers have needed it. With the Tigers leading Beckley 14-7 in the second half of a game earlier this season, Collins intercepted a pass at the 4 and returned it 96 yards for a touchdown. The scored ended up being the difference in a 21-14 Princeton win.
It’s just an example of the dynamic Collins brings to the team with the ball in his hands.
“He’s definitely instinctive,” Pedigo said. “He actually had a really good offensive game against Parkersburg South but struggled a little bit on defense. He had a corner route thrown on him and got turned around the wrong way but the kid he covered was pretty special. He had a couple missed assignments but he works hard. He’s instinctive and that play against Beckley was an instinctive play and every time he touches the ball he’s got a chance to take it to the house because he’s so fast. We’re glad we’ve got him and we’re looking forward to seeing what he can do. The offseason was just tremendous for him. Pound for pound, he might be the strongest guy on the team and it’s because his work ethic has got him to this point. I don’t want him to get the big head because he has to keep working and stay humble but he’s got a ton of potential.”
Email: tylerjackson@lootpress.com and follow on Twitter @tjack94
