Louisville OL Austin Collins Continuing to Take Advantage of Opportunities in Fall Camp

Just like last season, the offensive lineman for the Cardinals is making the most of his opportunity in preparation for the 2024 season.

Louisville offensive lineman Austin Collins / University of Louisville Athletics

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville football program heads into their 2024 season with a very deep offensive line. Between the veteran returners they are bringing back and impact transfers they brought in out of the portal, the Cardinals figure to have quality depth at all five positions for year two of the Jeff Brohm era.

The depth has certainly been tested at times during fall camp. Renato Brown is in the process of getting back up to speed after suffering a season-ending injury last year. Jonathan Mendoza was banged up to start the preseason. Lance Robinson was lost for the year in practice No. 1 of fall camp due to a lower leg injury.

While you never want injuries to occur, they are an inevitability in a violent sport like football. When they happen, you can only hope that others are ready to step up in place of the injured player. In fall camp, someone on the offensive line for the Cardinals that has taken this opportunity and ran with it is Austin Collins.

"A guy like Austin Collins hadn't had reps prior to Renato getting hurt," offensive line coach Richard Owens said. "He was able to step in and fill a role, and he went from those two guys were splitting time, to now all of a sudden, he's he's taken the majority of the reps. Having that ability to roll guys, having that ability and that depth there, really helps."

In the first half of the 2023 season, Collins was a depth piece for the Cardinals' offensive line. He played a halves against Murray State Boston College and Notre Dame all off the bench, taking snaps at all three interior spots.

But when Brown suffered his injury in pre-game warmups prior to the matchup at Pitt, Collins was thrust into the starting right guard spot for the second half of the season. By season's end, he had allowed just one sack and 10 total pressures in 296 pass block snaps.

It wasn't the first time Collins has had to step in for an emergency situation. When he was a true freshman in 2020, he had to take over as the starting center in the season finale against Wake Forest after Cole Bentley tested positive for COVID.

The Perrysburg, Ohio native didn't see much time over the next two seasons, playing a combined 33 offensive snaps in 2021 and 2022 after playing 69 vs. the Demon Deacons in 2020 alone. However, his preparation on the practice field - specifically when it comes to his position versatility - has put him in a very good spot as he heads into his redshirt junior season.

During the first half of fall camp, Collins has received the bulk of the starting reps at right guard while Brown has ran mostly with the twos. During this time, Collins has excelled in this role, and has been more than just a placeholder while Brown gets fully healthy.

"I've come a lot," he said. "First couple years here, didn't get much playing time. Was still learning that center position right out of high school having never played it. Then going into right guard, brand new last year, once Renato (Brown) got hurt, just being able to have that versatility on you, one, it's good for pros and scouts. But two, it's just important for us at this level to be able to have those guys."

Collins is sure to be a crucial component to the offensive line's play this season, but he's also made sure that he takes steps forward as a leader as well. Especially with a guy like Bryan Hudson now in the NFL. Between him and other veterans like Michael Gonzalez, they have tried to collectively serve as examples to the younger guys in the room for when they inevitably graduate and move on.

"Mike was always a leader, he's been a leader for a while," he said. "Then between me, Renato, Pete, we've tried to step in and all give our experience and our leadership to the young guys, as well as just sharing our experiences with them. I think that's really important."

(Photo of Austin Collins via University of Louisville Athletics)

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