Cecil Collins (American football)
Encyclopedia
Cecil J. P. "The Diesel" Collins (born November 19, 1976 in Fort Knox, Kentucky) is a former American football
running back
for the Miami Dolphins
of the National Football League
. He is currently incarcerated for burglary.
in Leesville, Louisiana
and amassed 99 touchdowns and 7,833 yards over his high school football
career including 3079 yards during his senior season. Leesville was the 4A state runner-up that year and Cecil was selected as Louisiana's very first "Mr. Football".
Collin's struggles began during his senior season at Leesville when the NCAA Clearinghouse declared that he would be required to retake his ACT Test. Cecil had taken the test during his Junior year and had not scored well enough to qualify for Division I schools. At the beginning of his Senior season he retook the exam and improved five points giving him an acceptable score. After reviewing his case however, the NCAA Clearinghouse notified his family that this improvement was unusual and that it would be necessary for him to retest. When the Clearinghouse requires this, it is within the student's rights to ask for special considerations such as being allowed to take the test in private, have unlimited time, or even take the test orally. These provisions are not something the family would be aware of, but being heavily recruited by and having signed with LSU, then coached by Gerry DiNardo, it would be expected that LSU might inform him of these special accommodations. They did not. On his third attempt Collins failed to make the required score by one point and was forced to sit out his first year at LSU.
in less than grand fashion, sitting out the first game of the season serving a suspension for breaking team rules. After this ignoble beginning however Collins went out and compiled 596 yards in his first four games before breaking his leg versus Vanderbilt
.
He was kicked off of the LSU squad before the start of his second season after being twice arrested for illegally entering dwellings. He claimed he was sleepwalking and had no recollection of entering the girls' rooms. He received probation as his sentence and made a second attempt at college football at Division I-AA (FCS) McNeese State University
but violated his probation when he failed a drug screen and was kicked off of the McNeese squad as well.
by the Dolphins out of McNeese State University by then coach
-general manager
Jimmy Johnson
. He appeared in eight games in the 1999 season
, accumulating 414 yards and two touchdown
s.
in Palm Trace Landings, an apartment complex in Davie, Florida
. He admits he broke into the home of a married woman that he knew from the gym, but said he only wanted to watch her sleep. After conviction on the charge, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison. His current release date is in 2012, upon good behavior.
Collins was married in 2006, and has a daughter from a previous relationship.
Collins, Florida Department of Corrections
# 199596, is located in the Desoto Annex facility. He entered prison on March 27, 2001. As of 2011 his current release date is March 30, 2014.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He is currently incarcerated for burglary.
Early years
Collins attended Leesville High SchoolLeesville High School
Leesville High School is a school located in Leesville, Louisiana, United States. The 9-12 school is a part of the Vernon Parish School Board....
in Leesville, Louisiana
Leesville, Louisiana
Leesville is a city in and the parish seat of Vernon Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 6,753 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fort Polk South Micropolitan Statistical Area. The city is home to the Fort Polk U.S. Army installation...
and amassed 99 touchdowns and 7,833 yards over his high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
career including 3079 yards during his senior season. Leesville was the 4A state runner-up that year and Cecil was selected as Louisiana's very first "Mr. Football".
Collin's struggles began during his senior season at Leesville when the NCAA Clearinghouse declared that he would be required to retake his ACT Test. Cecil had taken the test during his Junior year and had not scored well enough to qualify for Division I schools. At the beginning of his Senior season he retook the exam and improved five points giving him an acceptable score. After reviewing his case however, the NCAA Clearinghouse notified his family that this improvement was unusual and that it would be necessary for him to retest. When the Clearinghouse requires this, it is within the student's rights to ask for special considerations such as being allowed to take the test in private, have unlimited time, or even take the test orally. These provisions are not something the family would be aware of, but being heavily recruited by and having signed with LSU, then coached by Gerry DiNardo, it would be expected that LSU might inform him of these special accommodations. They did not. On his third attempt Collins failed to make the required score by one point and was forced to sit out his first year at LSU.
College career
After sitting out his freshman year he began his football career at LSULouisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
in less than grand fashion, sitting out the first game of the season serving a suspension for breaking team rules. After this ignoble beginning however Collins went out and compiled 596 yards in his first four games before breaking his leg versus Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt Commodores football
The Vanderbilt Commodores football program is a college football team that represents Vanderbilt University. The team currently competes in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Southeastern Conference...
.
He was kicked off of the LSU squad before the start of his second season after being twice arrested for illegally entering dwellings. He claimed he was sleepwalking and had no recollection of entering the girls' rooms. He received probation as his sentence and made a second attempt at college football at Division I-AA (FCS) McNeese State University
McNeese State University
McNeese State University is a public university located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, in the United States. Founded in 1939 as a junior college, McNeese experienced growth due to economic activity in the region. It adopted its present name in 1970....
but violated his probation when he failed a drug screen and was kicked off of the McNeese squad as well.
NFL career
Collins was selected as the first pick in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft1999 NFL Draft
The 1999 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 17-18, 1999...
by the Dolphins out of McNeese State University by then coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
-general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)
James William "Jimmy" Johnson is an American former NCAA and National Football League head coach. As of 2010, he is currently an analyst for Fox NFL Sunday, the Fox network's NFL pregame show. He was the first football coach whose teams won both an NCAA Division 1A National Championship and a...
. He appeared in eight games in the 1999 season
1999 Miami Dolphins season
The 1999 Miami Dolphins season was the 34th year of existence for the Miami Dolphins franchise. The year saw the team struggling with the end of Dan Marino's career...
, accumulating 414 yards and two touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s.
Personal
On December 16, 1999, Collins committed burglaryBurglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
in Palm Trace Landings, an apartment complex in Davie, Florida
Davie, Florida
Davie is a town in Broward County, Florida, United States. The town's population was 91,992 at the 2010 census.- History :Davie was founded by Jake Tannebaum and Tamara Toussaint. The original name of the town was Zona. In 1909 R.P. Davie assisted then Governor Broward by draining the swamplands...
. He admits he broke into the home of a married woman that he knew from the gym, but said he only wanted to watch her sleep. After conviction on the charge, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison. His current release date is in 2012, upon good behavior.
Collins was married in 2006, and has a daughter from a previous relationship.
Collins, Florida Department of Corrections
Florida Department of Corrections
The Florida Department of Corrections, established in 1821, operates state prisons in Florida. It has its headquarters in Tallahassee.The Florida Department of Corrections operates the third largest state prison system in the United States...
# 199596, is located in the Desoto Annex facility. He entered prison on March 27, 2001. As of 2011 his current release date is March 30, 2014.