CAL’s Austin Collins, Class of 2020

The Christian Academy of Louisville is one of the commonwealth’s most storied programs. It is coming off a Class 2A Kentucky Football championship and a 15-0 mark. They also won the Championship in 2016, going 14-1 that year.

Unlike in some states, in Kentucky the classification in which a team plays is meaningless. Plenty of schools who compete at lower classifications, particularly private schools like CAL, can play with any and everyone. KPGFootball was of the opinion either CAL or South Warren (5) were the very best football team in Kentucky last year regardless of classification.

All of that being said, CAL is also a team not hurting for star power. This school boasts the roster inclusion of hulking tackle John Young (2020) who has committed to UK, Class of 2020, and was on KPGFootball’s 2017 sophomore All-State team before making numerous others. This school boasts the roster inclusion of Brandt Babin, who is a KPGFootball freshman and sophomore All-Stater selected the 8th best RB at the Appalachia Prep Combine this Spring.

This school boasts the roster inclusion of the “other” Babin twin, Braeden Babin, also a two-time KPGFootball All-Stater and one of the quickest NGs/LBs in Kentucky. This school boasted a roster which included, in 2018, the Milton Wright, a 2018, consensus All-Stater headed to Purdue.

This school boasts the roster inclusion of KPGFootball freshman All-State tackle, Mathew Mauzy (2022). Literally, there are stars strewn all over the heavens on which the CAL roster appears inscribed.

Out of all of the players about whose ability CAL may (rightfully) boast, perhaps one of the finer players on the field for them in 2018 was Austin Collins (Twitter: @austinc50). Austin is a 6-4, 260-pound terror off the end for the Centurions who doubled offensively at guard on what was the best OL we saw in 2018.

The key to Collins’ prowess is no secret. He’s a tireless worker blessed with athletic physical endowments. His athleticism manifests many different ways.

Collins runs the 40-yard dash in 5.01-seconds, short shuttles in 4.5-seconds, bench presses 330-pounds, squats 450, and has a vertical leap of 29-inches. In theory, Collins will be one of the highest regarded and recruited players in the 2020-class should he come back to CAL to play his senior year in Louisville.

In 2018, Collins registered 76 tackles, recovered 3 fumbles, recorded 3.5 QB sacks, and forced two fumbles all while being the end of the defense particularly noted in every scouting report. That is particularly good production considering there were playmakers for the Centurion defense all over the field.

They only allowed 116 points in 15 games. They were this stingy while playing the likes of South Oldham (5A), Central Hardin (6A), Elizabethtown, Meade County (6A), DeSales (2Xs), Somerset, and Mayfield. That is surrendering 7.73 points an outing, if anyone is interested.

Here’s the kicker, and this is super “insider” knowledge you’re getting because you support the site. Our sources at KPGFootball tell us the Collins family is likely relocating somewhere in Ohio and Collins will not be playing for CAL next season.

At most high schools in Kentucky, the loss of a prospect like Austin Collins, together with head football coach, Stefan LeFors, moving on and Milton Wright’s graduating, would be crippling. We all saw how just the loss of Dmauriae VanCleave impacted Danville. They went from State Champions (15-0) in 2017 to 5-7 last year.

How will it impact CAL? Well, that is anyone’s guess. KPGFootball believes, with Young, Mauzy, and the Babins all back, CAL will maintain its position of firmly in the Class 2A title chase in 2019.

As for Austin Collins? Well, he’s a stud and one tremendous FBS-level DE prospect whose status will be unaffected by his moving to Ohio or Timbuktu for that matter.

This is Coach HB Lyon, reporting for KPGFootball, and we’re JUST CALLING IT LIKE WE SEE IT!

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About Henry Lyon 1210 Articles
Have coached at the high school and middle school level. Have worked in athletic administration. Conceal my identity to enable my candor on articles published by this magazine. Only members of the editorial board are aware of my true identity.

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