BY: Carlos Silva, Jr.
Posted 9:53 PM, Jun 20, 2014
SAN ANGELO, Texas – Luke Collis has been preparing for this moment.
The 6-foot-2 athlete has gone through an eight-year journey that began with his 2007 enrollment at the University of Nevada and culminated with earning a starting job as the San Angelo Bandits quarterback.
Since taking over in Week 3, he’s helped the Bandits (7-4) lock up the No. 2 seed in the Lone Star Football League playoffs, ensuring they’ll host a semifinal playoff game July 5.
They’ll finish the regular season Saturday at Amarillo (5-5).
“It was a relief, really,” Collis said of earning the starting job. “I had played arena ball for three years and not really gotten any starting opportunities. I just wanted a chance.”
His current situation is a far cry from where he imagined himself after starting his playing career at Nevada in 2007. As with most college players, the end goal for Collis was to reach the National Football League, but he felt those chances were slim as a backup signal caller with the Wolfpack.
Collis, who played behind current 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, said he transferred a few years later in hopes of earning a starting gig elsewhere. He found his eventual landing spot — Occident College, a Division III school in California — and flourished from 2010-11.
Collis finished with 4,611 passing yards and 41 touchdowns in his two seasons with the Tigers. He parlayed his success into a free agent signing with the Spokane Shock of the Arena Football League in March of 2012.
From there, Collis endured a pair of injuries — hamstring issues and a torn MCL — that added a couple of detours in his AFL trek which consisted of limited playing time with the Chicago Rush.
But, all the while, he kept his poise knowing that his chance at a starting gig could still come to fruition.
He got his shot April 5 at home against the two-time defending champion Amarillo Venom and hasn’t looked back.
“I think it’s been a really fulfilling experience,” said Collis, who has thrown for 2,163 yards with 58 touchdowns and only five interceptions. “I was kind of continually getting knocked down a peg, but you know I’ve put in the legwork and it’s starting to pay dividends.
“It’s probably an experience I needed.”
Collis helped the Bandits lock up a playoff spot with a 74-71 road win over league-leading Rio Grande Valley on June 7. Collis connected with wide receiver Johnny Thomas on fourth down for the game-winning touchdown with six seconds left to play.
It was one of eight scoring passes Collis tossed on the night.
“Once he took command our offense, that’s when his accuracy went through the roof,” Bandits head coach Joe Brannen said. “I think he’s a mechanically sound thrower, which aids to your accuracy.”
Collis owns the best completion percentage (60.5 percent) in the LSFL. In fact, the Bandits signal caller ranks no lower than second in most passing categories this season.
“When you throw the ball as much as we do, and we throw it dang near every down, you’re going to throw some interceptions, and for him to only throw five is incredible,” Brannen said. “A lot of that credit can go to the offensive line giving him time in the pocket, him making good decisions and his receivers bailing him out and making big catches.”
Speaking of receivers, Thomas is a huge fan of Collis and his ability to deal with adversity. The 6-5 wideout is familiar with Collis’ struggles after playing together last year as part of the Knoxville Knighthawks in the Professional Indoor Football League.
“I felt like he had to wait for his time, like I had to wait for my time,” said Thomas, who is second on the team with 538 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns. “You have a greater deal of respect for a guy like that. He stuck around through the pros and cons, and he never complained about it. He knew his time would come.”
Source: Standard Times
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