Taylor Shire
Regina Leader-Post
Payton Collins is hoping to start a new streak.
After playing a school-record 56 consecutive games at Eastern Kentucky University from 2020-24, Collins was injured in his first professional game on June 5 when the left tackle for the Saskatchewan Roughriders went down with a knee injury against the Ottawa Redblacks in Week 1 of the CFL season.
“I never got hurt in college,” said Collins, who signed with the team on May 2. “(Played) 56 straight games, and then first professional game, I get hurt.
“So I was kind of like, ‘Why? Why now?’ ”
After seven weeks of recovery from a grade 3 medial collateral ligament tear, the 24-year-old Collins returned to active duty on Aug. 2 in Week 9 against the Montreal Alouettes.
“I was very fortunate I didn’t have any surgery or anything like that,” said Collins. “I see some of these guys with other knee injuries who’ve had surgeries, and so I could have been in a lot worse place. I feel lucky to be only sidelined for about seven weeks.”
This week, the 6-foot-7, 301-pounder — who is now sporting a brace on his right knee — is set to make his second consecutive start as the Roughriders (7-1) host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (6-3) on Saturday (1 p.m., TSN) at Mosaic Stadium in Week 11 of the CFL season.
“I’m excited to be back at home and play in front of the crowd,” said Collins. “(I’ve) got a few family members coming out, so I’m excited to see them.”
After Collins went down in Week 1, the Roughriders called on rookie Daniel Johnson to start at left tackle for the next four games before he went down with an injury of his own. A third rookie, Darius Washington, then started two straight games in Week 7 and 8 before Collins returned in Week 9.
“Big Red is what we call him,” said Roughriders head coach Corey Mace. “He’s been excellent. He’s a physical player, digested the playbook pretty quick, and he’s good in protecting the passer and moving people in the run game.
“We wouldn’t put those guys out there if we didn’t feel comfortable if they could get the job done at a high level.”
Last year, the Roughriders used only one left tackle in the regular season as rookie Trevor Reid started all 18 games before pursuing an NFL opportunity this off-season.
Despite the different lineup changes this year, which has also seen the Riders start three left guards, the offensive line has given up just 10 sacks, which ranks second in the CFL behind Hamilton and B.C. who have each given up nine.
For Collins, he was glad the coaches still had trust in him to get the job done despite the missed time.
“The only I was worried about was just being able to help the team whatever they needed,” said Collins. “I just wanted to come back healthy and in shape, and if they needed me back, that was awesome, but I was just prepared to do anything to help the team when I was healthy.”
The early impressions started in training camp when Collins was also reunited with former college teammate Aaron Patrick, now a defensive lineman with the Roughriders who is also in his first CFL season.
“He was a senior when I was a freshman at Eastern Kentucky, so I would go against him when I was on scout team and stuff like that,” said Collins. “Now we’re both here, so it’s pretty cool.”
And as he found out during training camp, Collins also knows the nephew of Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris.
“He’s actually one of my brother’s good friends,” said Collins. “My brother went to Youngstown State for college so he’s friends with Trevor’s nephew.
“And during training camp, my brother was like, ‘Hey, tell Trevor that I know so and so.’
“At that point, I’m like, ‘I’m just a rookie in training camp. I’m not about to talk to the Tom Brady of the CFL. But I guess I’ll ask him.’ ”
By the time he worked up the courage to ask Harris, Collins had stood out enough to Harris and Saskatchewan’s coaching staff to be named the opening-week starter.
“He’s an animal and so we’re very lucky to have him,” said Harris. “And I think he’s got a tremendous, bright future ahead of him.
“He actually knows my nephew … So it’s been fun to get to know Payton.”
tshire@postmedia.com
