Matt Collins Named Hartnell’s Head Football Coach
March 30th, 2007
Hartnell College introduced Matt Collins as its new head football coach at a press conference on Friday morning. Collins currently serves as the receivers coach at Santa Rosa Junior College, a position he has held since 2002.
"I am thrilled and honored to have the opportunity to lead Hartnell’s football program," said Collins. "Hartnell has such a wonderful football tradition. The student athletes in this community are hard workers, and I look forward to leading them into exciting years of winning football."
"We are very excited to hire a man of Collins’ experience and dedication," said Athletic Director Dyan Miller. "His passion for the game and proven record as an assistant coach in the junior college system will elevate our program in the classroom and on the field. His enthusiasm for the program is infectious and will be an immediate benefit to our students and players."
Under Collins’ guidance, Santa Rosa’s offense dominated the conference and set national records; it has held the record as the No. 1 passing offense in the country every year since 2003. Individual receivers that Collins coached set national records for total touchdowns in a season and for total catches in a season for three of the last four years. Santa Rosa has won five straight bowl games and produced eight Division I receivers in the last five seasons.
In 2006 alone, Santa Rosa was tops in the state in scoring, averaging 43.7 points per game; in passing yards, with a total of 4,240; and in touchdown receptions, with 48 on the season. Santa Rosa quarterbacks had many Collins-coached targets: four different wide receivers posted 60 or more catches last season.
Collins has been a position coach at American River College (secondary and special teams), Sacramento City College (outside linebackers, strong safeties, and special teams), and Mendocino College (receivers and special teams).
As a student at Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa, Collins played on back-to-back NCS championship football teams. He played on a championship baseball team as well. He went on to play football at Santa Rosa Junior College, and finished his athletic college career playing baseball at Sonoma State University on a three-peat NCAC championship Division II team.
Collins earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Sonoma State and a master’s degree in athletic administration from St. Mary’s College of California.
For more information, please call Dyan Miller, Athletic Director, (831) 755-6837.
