Long Island University

Bryan Collins completed his 23rd season as the LIU football head coach in 2020-21.

He was named one of 16 finalists nationally for one of the most prestigious coaching awards in Division I football, the Eddie Robinson Award in the spring of 2021, after  coaching the Sharks to their first two wins as an FCS program, after a winless debut in 2019. Despite a shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Collins led his team to a 2-2 record, including their first-ever Division I win, a 24-19 victory over Bryant. Seven Sharks earned All-NEC honors that season, a Division I record for LIU.

In 2019-20, Collins also coached the program's first Division I All-American, as Liam McIntyre was named to the HERO Sports Freshman All-America Team.

Collins capped his Division II coaching career by earning the NE10's Coach of the Year accolade after leading LIU Post to its third unbeaten regular season in program history in 2018, defeating the University of New Haven, 17-13 in the Northeast-10 Conference championship game. It was LIU's 13th conference championship. Three Pioneers earned Player of the Year recognition, with Jake Carlock, Kevin Petit-Frere, and Chris Coles earning Defensive, Defensive Lineman, and Offensive Lineman of the Year accolades, respectively.

Along with his coaching duties, Collins served as LIU Post's Director of Athletics until 2017 where he helped build the Pioneers into one of the most respected and accomplished departments in Division II. During his time, the Green and Gold won several East Coast Conference Commissioner's Cup, were consistently ranked in the NACDA/Learfield Director's Cup, and also boasted some of the top academic achievements and community service efforts in the East Region.          

Collins became the university's sixth head coach in 1998, taking over the reins from Tom Marshall. Since taking over, Collins has led the Green and Gold to 16 winning seasons and seven conference titles. 

During the 2001 and 2002 seasons, Collins led the Pioneers to the greatest two-year stretch in program history, posting consecutive 11-1 records and appearing in the NCAA Tournament in '02. 

With a 35-0 shutout victory on the road against Cheyney University on Sept. 20, 2008, Collins surpassed the legendary Dom Anile as the all-time winningest coach at LIU Post. Two years later, Collins became the first coach to reach 100 career victories for the Pioneers with a 42-38 triumph at Slippery Rock University on Nov. 13, 2010.  

A former student-athlete at St. John’s University, Collins played linebacker on the Red Storm’s football team and was the recipient of the Dr. Peter Vitulli Award, given to the St. John’s student-athlete who demonstrated the most courage, perseverance, dedication and spirit of self-sacrifice in seeking to attain the highest ideals of sportsmanship.  Collins received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 1987. 
         
Collins and his wife, Patti, reside in Sayville, N.Y. with their son, Tyler, and daughter, Megan.