By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
If it seems like it's been forever since Collin Wilson ended his high school days at Washburn Rural and embarked on his college football career at Washburn University, Wilson can relate.
"I just turned 25 July 8th,'' Wilson said. "It's crazy, it goes by fast.''
Former Washburn Rural standout Collin Wilson is back for his final season with Washburn University's football team. [File photo/TSN]
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound wide receiver played his final high school season for Rural in 2016 and has played 24 games with five starts for Washburn in three seasons over a seven-year span (including a redshirt year) with 67 catches for 947 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Wilson had his best year for the Ichabods in 2019 with 37 catches for 543 yards while averaging a team-best 14.7 yards per catch and tying for the team lead with seven touchdown receptions while earning All-MIAA honorable mention.
But Wilson was then inactive for two straight seasons due to the Covid-cancelled season in '20 and temporarily transferring out of the WU program during the '21 campaign before returning to the Ichabods in '22.
Having already earned his nursing degree and working in that field, Wilson could have walked away from football and waded full speed into his profession, but he opted instead for a final go-around with the Ichabods.
"It was a couple of things,'' Wilson said about his decision to return. "I wanted to be a leader for some of the young guys on the team, guys who want to get the most our of their career, and just show them how they can do that. And then really I just felt like I didn't accomplish everything I was capable of throughout high school and college.
"I feel like I've always been capable of more and I felt like this is a good opportunity to show that, so I came back. Work's always there. that's not going anywhere. I've been able to work all summer so I haven't really missed out on that too much. It's football. You've only got so long to play it.''
Wilson got the '22 season off to a solid start, recording 23 catches for 305 yards and four touchdowns, before having his season ended by an injury.
"I got hurt the first play Week 6 and ended up playing the rest of the game and then found out I broke my collarbone,'' Wilson said. "I thought my career was over at that point. I had planned on having my Pro Day in March, but I ended up having to get surgery and missed my Pro Day, and after talking to six or sever pro teams last year I felt like I owed it to my younger self to just finish it out and see what happens.''
Wilson caught three passes for 33 yards in last Thursday's 34-7 season-opening MIAA loss at No. 4-ranked Pittsburg State and will try to help Washburn get back on track in Thursday's 6 p.m. home-opener against Missouri Southern.
Senior receiver Collin Wilson (3) has 67 career receptions for 947 yards and 11 touchdown for the Washburn Ichabods. [File photo/TSN]
Wilson is hopeful that a big final season for the Ichabods could help him get an opportunity to play at the pro level in '24.
"I never thought that I would be able to accomplish that until I got to college and saw, 'I'm a good player,' '' Wilson said. "So I put the work in and eventually I started talking to some teams and was like, 'OK, that's a real possibility for me.' I just didn't want to leave anything on the table.
"I felt like if the opportunity's there it's either going to happen or it's not and instead of me choosing to close the door I'll let God choose whether it's there or not. If it's not there, that's fine with me, I have other passions I can chase, and if it is I'm going to chase it with everything I've got.''
