The coaching staff of the Stony Brook football team saw another change on Tuesday, Aug. 17, when it was announced that Bryan Collins would be joining the Seawolves as their new defensive line coach. With decades of experience on Long Island, Stony Brook’s new hire also expects to be a pivotal player in recruiting local talent.
“I am excited to join the Seawolves family,” Collins said in a press release. “I’m thankful to Coach Priore for the opportunity to work alongside him and with this outstanding football program … I’m excited to continue the relationships I have with Long Island and New York City coaches and student athletes to keep bringing New York talent to Stony Brook.”
Collins resigned from his position as head coach of the Long Island University (LIU) Sharks in June after leading the team for 23 years. He earned the job in 1998 back when the program played in Division II and was known as the C.W. Post Pioneers. The team eventually rebranded to the LIU Post Pioneers before the Division II LIU Post athletic program merged with the Division I LIU Brooklyn program, unifying at the Division I level as the LIU Sharks.
Under Collins, the LIU Post Pioneers won eight Northeast-10 Conference championships and competed in six Division II postseasons. After going 0-10 in the LIU Sharks’ inaugural season, Collins won his first game as a Division I head coach on March 7, 2021 as LIU defeated Bryant 24-19.
“It’s not every day you are able to hire someone of Bryan’s experience and success,” head coach Chuck Priore said. “He has tremendous football knowledge, as well as leadership skills. He is well-respected by all of our local coaches, so that should have a great impact on our success with local recruiting.”
Collins’ ties to New York City and Long Island are even more important in the wake of former special teams coach and top local recruiter Tony Thompson’s departure to West Virginia. Stony Brook’s new defensive line coach also has administrative experience, having served as LIU Post’s athletic director from 2006 to 2016.
