Our 4 Questions with the Coach guest this week is Eric Collier, the director of football development at the University of South Alabama. Collier is in his first season at the Mobile school after spending the previous 10 seasons as the head football coach at Theodore High School. He also spent five seasons as an assistant at Theodore.
Collier was 71-41 as Theodore’s head coach, including a 13-win season last year, when he led the team to the Alabama Class 6A state semifinals and a No. 7 final ranking. Before taking over as head coach at Theodore, Collier was the head coach at Alma Bryant, where he led the Hurricanes to a 10-30 finish over four seasons.
How has his transition from high school football to the collegiate level gone? Let’s find out as we visit with Coach Collier.
Q. Coach, let me start by congratulating you on making the jump from the high school ranks to the collegiate level. South Alabama is a great school with a great football program, but you were really enjoying success at Theodore. Was this move something you had been considering for some time?
A. No, I never thought about moving to the next level. I was always happy at Theodore. I knew it was time for a change; I was at 28 years in the retirement system. You get to a point where you have to make decisions based on what is best for your family down the road. I was blessed that [South Alabama head coach] Kane Wommack came by the school one day, we talked, and after that talk we worked something out. I really enjoy what I am doing at the University of South Alabama.
Q. A handful of successful high school football coaches, especially over the past decade or so, have taken entry-level positions as a career springboard from the high school to collegiate level. Did you see this as perhaps the best opportunity and a natural bridge to advance your career from high school to the next level?
A. I did see the opportunity as a great chance to do something different, and also as a great challenge. I did need a new challenge. I have learned a lot and I also enjoy the challenges that this job brings.
Q. What’s been the biggest difference between the high school head football coaching position to the job you now have as director of football development at South Alabama?
A. The biggest change has been the idea of not having to deal with all the issues that comes with running a program. I was a head football coach for 20 years. I enjoyed every minute of it. But that is a lot of pressure. Here at South Alabama, I just have to worry about my job, which is building relationships with the community and the businesses within Mobile and Baldwin County. It is important that the University and the business leaders of Mobile and Baldwin County have a relationship. We want to be great ambassadors for Mobile and the University of South Alabama.
Q. Coach Collier, now that you’ve made this career leap, what’s next? Do you have your eye on even bigger career goals?
A. Years ago I bought into the Nick Saban motto, “Just be where your feet are.” That is what I am doing. We are off to a good start. We just need to continue to get better every day. Hopefully we will finish this season with a great bowl game and a Sun Belt championship. I will leave my future up to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
