Looking Ahead to Fall: Groves Football Ready To Run Free

If a team is as good as its best player, the Birmingham football team should be pretty solid.

The Falcons' top playmaker is Keon Collier.

“He’s our best guy,” head coach Brendan Flaherty said. “There’s certainly no secret about that.”

Opposing teams can expect to see the senior all over the field this season. He’ll start in every phase of the game: he’ll return kicks on special teams, he’s the starting running back on offense and he’s a starting linebacker on defense. Don't be surprised to see him at wide receiver or defensive back either. 

“We are going to move him around,” Flaherty said. “We will put him at different spots on the field and make teams find him. (On offense) we are just going to keep getting him the ball until they stop him.”

That’s not an easy task even though Collier is a little undersized for a running back and wide receiver. He said he’s 5-foot-9 “on a good day.”

Athletically, he’s tremendously gifted. It might not seem like he has game-breaking speed, but he’s quick and moves laterally effortlessly. He’s also a very physical runner for a running back his size.

Collier has been getting a lot of interest from colleges in the Mid-American Conference, Flaherty said, noting that he's certain Collier will be playing on Saturdays somewhere next year, even though he doesn’t have an offer of a scholarship yet.

Though the Falcons' playoff chances this season largely rest on Collier's shoulders, his teammates believe that won’t be a problem. 

“Keon is a natural leader,” senior quarterback Joe Mayone said. “Everyone knows him, he has a great attitude. It’s the best thing I could wish for having him. He takes a lot of pressure off me and a lot of focus on him leaves a lot of other people open.”

Collier was happy to talk about his expectations for the season during a break at practice in the run up to the start of the fall season. He had just as much praise for his teammates as they did for him.  

Birmingham Patch: The team only averaged only 12 points in the Falcons' six losses last season. Are your expectations higher for the offense this season?

Keon Collier: Yes sir. We have a couple of new tricks that we’ve thrown in there and we are ready to go.

Patch: What’s the relationship between you and quarterback Joe Mayone like?  

Collier: I’ve known Joey since third grade from playing flag football, all those kind of things. Our synergy is pretty much there. In the off-season we worked really hard together and we are just ready to take over in the league.

Patch: So the timing between the two of you is going to be better this year?

Collier: It’s fantastic. He knows what I’m thinking now. It’s like he’s in my brain. He feels where I’m going; he knows my moves and everything.

Patch: Coach said he’s going to put you all over the field. You’ll play running back, wide receiver, some defensive back and linebacker. What position are you most comfortable at?

Collier: Honestly, I’m comfortable at every position I play cause I feel I can just do it. But I really love playing running back. That’s my thing, that’s my forte. I feel that I can get the ball and do something with it since it’s in my hands already.

Patch: The problem for the offense last year was finishing drives. How do you improve that?

Collier: One of our main mottos is “family, fight, finish.” That last one is as important as the first one. We just have to do everything right. Finish, start as a family and fight. Everything will come together if we can do all three.

Patch: You played a little defense last year. Are you going to see more time on the defensive side of the ball this season?

Collier: This year I’m going to play both ways. I’m playing dog, which is kind of our outside linebacker. (I) got my man (Mark) Corliss on the other side, (and) we’re going to contain the run this year.

Patch: How is the recruiting process going for you? 

Collier: I’ve had visits to Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Ball State and a couple others. I also went to Grand Valley, a Division II school. It’s been a little tough — I didn’t get as much exposure as I should’ve last year. I have friends at Harrison and they have offers. They know where they’re going. I don’t have any offers yet.

Patch: This early part of the year will be even more important knowing some of those colleges will be watching. How much does that drive you?

Collier: It’s like that Tim Tebow stuff, baby. People doubt me. People think I can’t do certain stuff cause of my size and my 40 (yard dash). I run somewhat of a bad 40 (time) — like a 4.5 (seconds) — but I run a great 100-yard dash. To me the field is 100 yards long and that’s what I’ve got to go after. I just have to prove people wrong.

Patch: How confidant are you that Groves is going to be a playoff team this year?

Collier: We’re ready to do it big this year (smiling).