Another Record Setting Arkansas Razorback Passes Away

Alex Collins, most prolific rushing scorer in Hogs' football history, member of 4th & 25, confirmed dead, went against family to come to join Bret Bielema in Fayetteville

Author:
Kent Smith
Publish date:
Aug 14, 2023 9:26 PM EDT

In this story:

Arkansas Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Another difficult day has arrived at the University of Arkansas with news coming out that former star Razorback running back Alex Collins has died.

Collins' decision to become an Arkansas Razorback was one of the more famous recruiting situations in school history. Collins wanted more than anything to come to Arkansas, but everything hung in the balance as his mother ran off with his letter of intent.

Eventually, Collins got his letter to then Arkansas coach Bret Bielema and the rest is history. The big speedy back with his signature locks ran into the record books by joining Darren McFadden and Herschel Walker as the only running backs to run for over 1,000 yards in their first three seasons. It was enough to add his name to All-SEC and All-American lists and become a Doak Walker semifinalist.

His junior season Collins posted five games of 150+ yards on his way to 1,577 yards rushing. What made him special was who he did it against. In back-to-back games, Collins ran for 151 yards and a touchdown against Texas A&M before running for 154 and two touchdowns against Tennessee. He then capped the season with 185 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-23 win over Kansas St. in the Liberty Bowl.

However, despite all the accolades and eventual success in the NFL, Arkansas fans will always fondly remember him for his role in "4th & 25," perhaps the most famous positive play in Arkansas history. It's such a big moment that Arkansas fans celebrate it with its own holiday each year.

For those unfamiliar, Arkansas faced 4th & 25 against an Ole Miss team looking to clear its path to the SEC championship game by winning the West Division. Razorback quarterback Brandon Allen threw a sideline route to tight end Hunter Henry who, upon getting wrapped up for what would be a game-ending tackle, heaved the ball over his head to mid-field where it was scooped up on the bounce by Collins. Locks flying in the wind with each cut, he weaved his way not only for the first down, but all the way to the 10-yard line with the Razorbacks trailing 52-45 in overtime.

Allen then threw his sixth touchdown of the game, this time to Drew Morgan, and ran it in for the 2-point conversion to give Arkansas a 53-52 upset win. That one miracle play by Collins changed the course of college football history. The Rebels missed the SEC championship game and Alabama went on to win the national championship.

Appropriately, Morgan, who saw to it the Razorbacks would have a result that would allow Collins' scoop and run to live on in history, was one of the first to let people know of his passing.

Fellow running back Jonathan Williams, who teamed with Collins to become the first running back duo since Darren McFadden and Felix Jones to combine for more than 10 touchdowns in a single season, further confirmed the news.

A little over an hour later, Razorback football and Hunter Yurachek followed with commemorative posts of their own.

Collins spent three of his five NFL seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, but it was his two years with the Baltimore Ravens where he really did his damage. He put up 1,676 all-purpose yards in 25 games in Baltimore and scored 14 touchdowns. Collins was especially productive against Pittsburgh, posting the longest run of his career with a 50-yard burst to set up a touchdown and two other highlights that included a touchdown featured by the NFL. While there, he played with Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett who recently passed away in a drowning accident.

After not finding a home in 2022, Collins signed with the Memphis Showboats of the USFL where he looked to earn another shot as an NFL running back. Collins not only managed to score running the ball in Memphis, but also threw a touchdown pass before an injury put him on the shelf.

Collins is No. 4 behind two McFadden years and a season by Madre Hill for most carries in a single season in Arkansas history. He is second only to McFadden for career rushing attempts. He only trailed McFadden for most rushing yards in a single season from his 2015 performance and also trails McFadden for most career yards with 3,703. He is second all-time for rushing touchdowns in a game with five and leads all Razorbacks with 20 rushing touchdowns in a single season as part of that 2015 campaign.