Collins back better than ever, happy to be playing the game he loves

Collins said this is the healthiest he's been at Clemson (Photo by Merrell Mann).

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Wed Aug 09 12:50:17 GMT-04:00 2023

CLEMSON – During last Friday’s fall practice session, wide receiver Beaux Collins looked into the sky and saw the football floating his way. Knowing it might be a little long, he found an extra gear and sprinted under the ball, cradling it in his arms with a smile brighter than the sun overhead.

It was good to be back.

Collins missed four games last season dealing with injuries, and that came after missing a chunk of time in fall camp dealing with a shoulder issue. He still caught 22 passes for 373 yards and five touchdowns but decided he needed surgery to repair his shoulder after the regular season and get ready for the 2023 season.

He missed out on bowl practice and was limited this past spring but was cleared over the summer to begin full football activities. Now, he feels healthy and ready to go for the first time since he arrived on campus. But getting to this point wasn’t always easy. Not when you have to watch your teammates play without you.

'’I'd say it was hard to watch, but I was just excited for my guys," Collins told TigerNet after Monday’s practice. “No matter what the outcome was. There were some down moments. I'd say, in the offseason, when the rehab got a little annoying, doing the same thing over and over. It was a little rough. I tried to do things like just picking up a book to get my mental right. I tried as hard as possible not to go off the deep end."

Collins arrived at Clemson from Bellflower (CA) Bosco, where he was teammates with former Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei. Uiagalelei transferred to Oregon State after he was replaced in the ACC Championship Game by Cade Klubnik, and Collins has spent plenty of time getting to know his new quarterback.

"We've worked out a lot this summer. In off hours, we've been here [until] 7:45 pm. He's taking the next step for sure for this team," Collins said of Klubnik. “He wants it bad. Not just for himself. He wants it for all of us. So, I have no choice but to tip my hat to him. He's a hard worker. I love hard workers. He's a go-getter. So, we're meshing pretty well.”

Collins is most likely assured of a starting spot, but all of the veterans are being pushed by a talented freshman class that includes Noble Johnson, Tyler Brown, Misun Kelley (Tink), and Ronan Hanafin.

"There are some dudes in this freshman class for sure," Collins said. "I was surprised seeing Tyler Brown and Tink step on campus. They're just guys that have things that you can't teach. They're fast. They're eager to learn. These guys aren't nervous to ask questions. They want to be on the field. I just haven't seen a group like them. They're special."

Clemson has a long history of talented wide receivers, but Collins arrived after the last big group (that included Amari Rodgers, Cornell Powell, and Diondre Overton) graduated. Since then, the Tigers have struggled to find talented receivers that can stay on the field.

Collins said he thinks WRU is back.

"I know that there are guys that came before me, that were hungry, big, strong, and fast," Collins said. "We just have to embrace it. Don't run from it. Honestly, I know what I stepped into coming here. It's kind of what I signed up for when I came here. Just got to accept the challenge and go forward from there. I definitely feel like it has the most potential by far. Just the energy that the guys have. The guys are willing to go to work. It just feels different. I know it's kind of cliche to say, but there's a different feeling in this group, for sure."