Former Cougar Austin Collie On What He Likes About BYU’s Receivers

Nov 5, 2024, 3:32 PM | Updated: 3:57 pm

SEATTLE - SEPTEMBER 6: Wide receiver Austin Collie #9 of the BYU Cougars scores a touchdown against the Washington Huskies on September 6, 2008 at Husky Stadium in Seattle Washington.(Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

(Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

BY TANNER TRIPP

KSL Sports

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah- The rivalry between the BYU Cougars and Utah Utes dates back more than 100 years. The series between the two teams that share the Beehive State has seen some premiere players come through, including Ty Detmer and Steve Smith. The two sides have also had some incredible finishes over the years, like Brandon Burton’s blocked field goal and LaVell Edwards’ final game.

Another one of those special players who was part of big moments in the rivalry’s history was BYU Wide Receiver Austin Collie. In his three games against the Utes, Collie caught 18 passes for 304 yards and a touchdown. He would go on to be drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in 2009, playing for them and the New England Patriots during his five-year stint in the NFL.

#CountdowntotheVikings

9 Days

Austin Collie (@AKCollie_17) wore #9. He left BYU as the all-time leading WR with 3,255 yds & 30 TDs. #BYUSN pic.twitter.com/G6fQc2RbZv

— BYUtv Sports Nation (@BYUSportsNation) August 17, 2017

Austin joined DJ & PK on Tuesday morning ahead of the rivalry week matchup to talk about what he has seen from the BYU Cougars and how he feels going into Saturday’s game.

BYU’s Wide Receivers

Austin Collie left BYU as the all-time leader in receiving yards with 3,255, a record that has since been broken by Cody Hoffman. With his experience and legendary stats as a Cougar, DJ & PK wanted to know what he thought of BYU’s two leading receivers, Darius Lassiter and Chase Roberts.

“I think Darius has proven himself to be reliable, especially from those distances of 15 yards and greater,” Collie said, “I think Chase has had that level of reliability, that consistency… now that he’s a little bit older, you can tell that he’s got a little bit different swagger on the field, and that shows up in his play.”

Lassiter and Roberts are within seven yards of each other for team lead, Darius with 504 and Chase with 497, with a large margin between them and the rest of the receiving core. The next closest pass catcher, Keelan Marion, is nearly 300 yards behind with 201 yards. The two big dogs have also each pulled down four touchdowns and are tied for number of receptions at 31 a piece.

“I don’t think there’s been a tandem like this at BYU in a long, long, long time. I think they both have that big play ability but will also get it done in the trenches, and aren’t scared to go over the middle and catch the ball and get hit after it. I definitely think they complement each other.”

𝑰𝑵 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑩𝑶𝑶𝑻𝑯 𝒘/ @gregwrubell & @975Hans

— BYU vs UCF —@jretz11 to @chase_roberts11 touchdown pic.twitter.com/zf8FRksBpg

— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) October 29, 2024

𝑰𝑵 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑩𝑶𝑶𝑻𝑯 𝒘/ @gregwrubell & @975Hans

— BYU vs Oklahoma State —@darius_lassiter game winning touchdown pic.twitter.com/XI2FTOF8pp

— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) October 21, 2024

Jake Retzlaff’s Growth

In 2023, Jake Retzlaff was under center for the team’s very rocky and unfortunate end to the season. The team lost its final five games, the last one being a double overtime heartbreaker to Oklahoma State, denying them bowl eligibility. Over that stretch, Retzlaff only completed 50.4% of his passes with a 1:1 touchdown to interception ratio.

Despite a bit of a rocky start to the 2024 season, Retzlaff has led the Cougars to an 8-0 start. Jake has thrown for 1,872 yards, his completion percentage is up to 59.8%, and he has tossed 18 touchdowns to only 7 interceptions, making it clear that he worked extremely hard in the offseason and is learning from mistakes instead of continuing to make the same ones.

“I think from last year, he got thrown into a situation that maybe he wasn’t expecting, he was dealing with an offensive line that maybe wasn’t coached up the way that they should,” Collie remarked in regard to the end of the 2023 season, “This year, ever since SMU, I think there’s kind of been a little bit more confidence each and every single game… Jake is starting to play with far more swagger than he was at the beginning of the year.”

Jake Retzlaff slings a BULLET to Miles Davis and just like that @BYUfootball in on the board in Waco 🎯#Big12FB | 📺 FS1 pic.twitter.com/wXDRGDcLDl

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) September 28, 2024

Jay Hill’s Defense

In his second year as the defensive coordinator of the Cougars, Jay Hill has his squad humming, allowing the third-lowest point total in the Big 12 thus far and only allowing 18 touchdowns through eight games. BYU also has the most interceptions in the conference with 14.

“I think Jay Hill has done a phenomenal job,” Austin praised, “I think all the guys in the box are just absolute specimens. You got [Harrison] Taggart and Jack Kelly who are just athletes across the board who are constantly wanting to get in the mix… I don’t think BYU’s had a secondary like we currently have.”

OH MY WHAT AN INTERCEPTION 😱@BYUfootball with another big-time play on defense 🔥 pic.twitter.com/GlmMI7F1Zi

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 12, 2024

Big 12 Depth And The Utah Utes

Austin Collie, along with Utes and Cougars fans across the country know that record and ranking go out the window when these two teams play. Game after game, BYU and Utah have provided so many nail-biting finishes. Despite Utah’s 4-4 record, they still have the top-ranked defense in the conference, and with two weeks of planning and prep going into Saturday’s matchup, Collie knows that the Utes will be dangerous.

“This game terrifies me,” Austin admitted, “I don’t think that there is a team in the Big 12 that is truly as terrible as they’re playing… I think across the Big 12, there is so much parody that on any given day if a team puts it together one night, they have all the talent in the world to seem as if they’re one of those top Big 12 teams.”

Collie also advised BYU fans that despite a rough freshman season for Isaac Wilson, he is extremely talented and will be dangerous in the years to come saying, “If Isaac Wilson stays at Utah for the next four years, Utah is going to be a monster to deal with.”

Austin is not overlooking the struggling Utah Utes who would want nothing more than to ruin BYU’s perfect season. “I think it’s going to be an absolute dog fight, to be honest with you, on Saturday.”