National Signing Day flashback: Alex Collins, 2013
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The Schools: Arkansas, Miami
How it all went down: Alex Collins' story is one of the most famous in recent years, and it all started because of a spin on the coaching carousel.
Collins seemed destined for Wisconsin for most of his senior season, mainly because of his affinity for then-coach Bret Bielema. But when Bielema left the Badgers for a job at Arkansas, it opened the door for other programs, mainly Miami, the school in Collins' backyard.
After visiting both the Hurricanes and the Razorbacks in January 2013, many then expected Collins to stay close to home and play for Miami, including his own family. The problem was, Collins had other plans.
Two days before National Signing Day, he announced his commit to Bielema and the Razorbacks, much to the chagrin of those close to him, including his mother, Andrea McDonald. As Collins would explain it in interviews much later, he made the decision without first informing McDonald.
Two days later, when Collins was ready to make his commitment official by signing his letter of intent, ESPN reported that his mother had taken the document and her location was unknown. After nearly 24 hours of drama, Collins showed up for a press conference the day after Signing Day that was shown live on local TV where he and his father signed the letter of intent.
His mother didn’t appear at the press conference and later retained the law services of Cochran Firm, which issued a press release stating it was hired to “represent the family’s interests.” In the end, no attorneys were needed as Collins enrolled as expected at Arkansas and went on to have three 1,000-yard seasons before turning pro following the 2015 season.
Local memories: “It was the craziest thing I've seen happen in recruiting, and I've witnessed a lot over the last 14 years. I get it, she didn't want her son to go all the way from South Florida to Arkansas, but nobody could predict she would snatch his papers and run away with them. She still never signed them, and he had to get his dad to sign.
"I know it had to be a little embarrassing for Alex, but he handled it really well. He was the first really big commitment for Bielema out of Florida, a state Arkansas hasn't had a lot of success recruiting prior to him arriving. So when he eventually signed, it made it that much sweeter for Arkansas fans.” – Trey Biddy, HawgSports.com
National reaction: Collins' story turned into national news, with both sports and traditional media covering it. Many believe the incident led to NCAA reform allowing schools to pay for family members to attend official visits along with student-athletes. McDonald did not attend Collins’ official visit to Arkansas in 2013. The new rule was enacted in 2016.
