Oregon State’s dual-threat quarterback Seth Collins has had a change of heart and will return to the Beavers program in 2016 instead of following through on a plan to transfer to Northern Illinois. He will do so playing a new position according to a report from The Oregonian. Collins will make a switch to wide receiver.
Collins was to play quarterback for the MAC program, but he will now be used as a wide receiver in Oregon State’s offense. He says he is ready to make up for lost time this spring and embraces the chance to be welcomed back bu his Oregon State teammates.
“I’m very humbled that my teammates and coaches have provided me the opportunity to rejoin the team,” Collins said in a released statement. “Coach [Gary Andersen] did not always agree with the direction that I was headed during this process, but was always there to talk and support me as a person first.”
Collins made a surprising and seemingly out-of-the-blue decision to leave the Oregon State program in January with the intent to continue his playing career elsewhere. No reason for the decision to transfer was given at the time, but something clearly has changed for Collins in Corvallis.
Collins started seven games for Oregon State in 2015 before a knee injury put him on the sideline for the next four games before he returned for a season finale game against Oregon, where he was used in a variety of ways in the offense. Despite missing time due to the injury, Collins still finished the year as Oregon State’s leading passer with 935 passing yards and six touchdowns and leading rusher with 575 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns.
Oregon State’s quarterback depth appeared to take a hit with the loss of Collins and Nick Mitchell transferring to Division 2 Dixie State. The Beavers see a quarterback competition ongoing between Utah State transfer Darrell Garretson, Marcus McMaryion and early enrollee Mason Moran with JUCO transfer Daniel Prieto joining the mix later this summer.