University of Minnesota Athletics
Football
Collins, Danny
Danny Collins
- Title:
- Defensive Coordinator / Safeties
NOTABLE:
Danny Collins was promoted to defensive coordinator in January 2025. He will continue to coach the safeties.
The 2025 season will be the ninth at Minnesota for Collins. It will be his first as defensive coordinator, his fourth as coaching the safeties and his 13th year with Fleck.
Collins was named safeties coach in January 2022 and added the title of defensive pass game coordinator prior to the 2023 season. Collins has been a member of the Minnesota staff since 2017 and has served in a number of different roles for the Gophers.
He came to Minnesota with Fleck in 2017 and served as the team’s defensive quality control. He was a graduate assistant in 2018 before returning to quality control in 2019. In 2020, he was named Senior Defensive Analyst before being promoted to safeties coach in 2022.
At Minnesota, Collins has coached All-Americans Koi Perich and Tyler Nubin and has seen two of his safeties – Nubin (New York Giants) and Jordan Howden (New Orleans Saints) – drafted into the NFL. This past season, safeties Perich and Kerry Brown were both named semifinalists for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award semifinalists and Perich was one of five national finalists.
The first game of the 2025 season will mark the second time that Collins will call the Minnesota defense, as he also did so in Minnesota’s 2023 Quick Lane Bowl win against Bowling Green.
Since Collins has been at Minnesota, the Gophers have turned in some stellar defensive performances. In 2024, the team ranked fifth in the nation in total defense, seventh in team passing efficient defense and ninth in scoring defense. In 2022, Minnesota ranked eighth in total defense, fourth in scoring defense and seventh in team passing efficiency defense. In 2021, the Gophers ranked third in the nation in total defense and tied for sixth in scoring defense.
In 2023, Collins mentored First Team All-American safety Tyler Nubin. Nubin tied for second on the team with 53 tackles and added one sack. He also forced one fumble and recovered one fumble. Nubin also broke up four passes and led the team with five interceptions. He ended his Minnesota career with 13 interceptions, which is the most in school history.
Collins also mentored Darius Green and Jack Henderson. Green started the first 11 games of the season before missing the final two with an injury, but he ended the year with 51 tackles, three tackles for loss and one pass breakup as he stepped into a starting role. Henderson, who transferred Southeastern Louisiana prior to the season, led the Gophers with 59 tackles on the season. He also added five tackles for loss, one sack and two interceptions.
Collins also prepared Coleman Bryson and Kerry Brown to start at safety in the Quick Lane Bowl. The duo responded by each making five tackles in the contest, as Collins called the defense for the Gophers in the win.
The 2022 season saw Minnesota's defense rank eighth in the nation in 2022 in total defense at 294.7 yards per game, fourth in scoring defense at 13.85 points per game, seventh in team passing efficiency defense at 109.46 and 15th in rushing defense at 109 yards per game. Nubin and fellow safety Jordan Howden helped lead a defense that gave up only 13.85 points per game. Howden finished third on the team with 58 tackles and Nubin ended the year with 55. Howden was drafted in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints with the 146th overall pick.
Bryson started at safety in the Pinstripe Bowl and made seven tackles, broke up one pass and returned one interception 70 yards for a touchdown against Syracuse to earn MVP honors.
His input and expertise helped Minnesota’s defense post historic numbers in 2021. The Gophers ranked third in the nation in total defense at 278.8 yards per game, tied for sixth in the NCAA in scoring defense at 17.31 points per game and ranked eighth in the nation in rushing defense at 97.5 yards per game.
Collins was in quality control in his first season in Minnesota in 2017, as he worked with the defensive coaching staff. In 2018, he transitioned to a graduate assistant position for the season and was then named interim defensive backs coach for Minnesota's 34-10 win against Georgia Tech in the Quick Lane Bowl. With Collins coaching the secondary, Minnesota held Georgia Tech to just 77 passing yards and 283 total yards.
Collins moved back to quality control in 2019 and again worked on the defensive side of the ball. He was thrust into on-field coaching duties again at the Outback Bowl and was the interim defensive line coach. Minnesota thwarted Auburn's potent rushing attack and limited the Tigers to a season-low 56 rushing yards on 26 carries. The Gophers notched two sacks in the 31-24 win and both came from the Collins-led defensive line.
Prior to his time at Minnesota, Collins was a defensive graduate assistant from 2015-17 at Western Michigan, which is also where he attended college.
Collins worked with the Bronco football department in various roles starting in 2012 and then graduated with a degree in general studies in 2014 from Western Michigan. He also worked with the defense in quality control at Western Michigan and was also a student-assistant linebacker coach and a student-assistant quarterback coach. He earned his master's degree in sport management in 2016 from Western Michigan.
COLLINS AT A GLANCE
Coaching Experience
2025-present: Minnesota - Defensive Coordinator / Safeties
2023-25: Minnesota - Safeties / Defensive Pass Game Coordinator
2022: Minnesota - Safeties
2020-21: Minnesota - Senior Defensive Analyst
2019: Minnesota - Quality Control
2018: Minnesota - Graduate Assistant
2017: Minnesota - Quality Control
2015-16: Western Michigan - Defensive Graduate Assistant
Bowls Coached
2024 Duke's May Bowl (Minnesota)
2023 Quick Lane Bowl (Minnesota)
2022 Pinstripe Bowl (Minnesota)
2021 Guaranteed Rate Bowl (Minnesota)
2020 Outback Bowl (Minnesota)
2018 Quick Lane Bowl (Minnesota)
2017 Cotton Bowl (Western Michigan)
2015 Bahamas Bowl (Western Michigan)
Birthday: May 15, 1992
Hometown: Oak Lawn, Illinois
High School: Saint Rita, 2010
Alma Mater: Western Michigan, 2014 (general studies), Western Michigan, 2016 (master's degree in sport management)
Wife: Maria
Son: Rocky
- The 2025 season will be the ninth at Minnesota, first as defensive coordinator, fourth coaching the safeties and his 13th year with Fleck.
- Has coached All-Americans Koi Perich (Second Team, 2024) and Tyler Nubin (First Team, 2024) at Minnesota and has coached two Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award semifinalists in Perich and Kerry Brown
- Has coached two NFL draft picks in Nubin (New York Giants) and Jordan Howden (New Orleans Saints)
- Helped Minnesota's defense rank fifth in the nation in total defense in 2024, seventh in team passing efficient defense and ninth in scoring defense.
- Helped Minnesota’s defense rank third in the nation in 2021 in total defense, tie for sixth in scoring defense and rank eighth in rushing defense
- Helped Minnesota’s defense rank eighth in the nation in 2022 in total defense, fourth in scoring defense, seventh in team passing efficiency defense and 15th in rushing defense
- Has coached All-Americans Koi Perich (Second Team, 2024) and Tyler Nubin (First Team, 2024) at Minnesota and has coached two Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award semifinalists in Perich and Kerry Brown
- Has coached two NFL draft picks in Nubin (New York Giants) and Jordan Howden (New Orleans Saints)
- Helped Minnesota's defense rank fifth in the nation in total defense in 2024, seventh in team passing efficient defense and ninth in scoring defense.
- Helped Minnesota’s defense rank third in the nation in 2021 in total defense, tie for sixth in scoring defense and rank eighth in rushing defense
- Helped Minnesota’s defense rank eighth in the nation in 2022 in total defense, fourth in scoring defense, seventh in team passing efficiency defense and 15th in rushing defense
- Called the defense in Minnesota's 30-24 win against Bowling Green in the 2023 Quick Lane Bowl
- Served as interim defensive backs coach for Minnesota's 34-10 win against Georgia Tech in the 2018 Quick Lane Bowl
- Served as interim defensive backs coach for Minnesota's 34-10 win against Georgia Tech in the 2018 Quick Lane Bowl
Danny Collins was promoted to defensive coordinator in January 2025. He will continue to coach the safeties.
The 2025 season will be the ninth at Minnesota for Collins. It will be his first as defensive coordinator, his fourth as coaching the safeties and his 13th year with Fleck.
Collins was named safeties coach in January 2022 and added the title of defensive pass game coordinator prior to the 2023 season. Collins has been a member of the Minnesota staff since 2017 and has served in a number of different roles for the Gophers.
He came to Minnesota with Fleck in 2017 and served as the team’s defensive quality control. He was a graduate assistant in 2018 before returning to quality control in 2019. In 2020, he was named Senior Defensive Analyst before being promoted to safeties coach in 2022.
At Minnesota, Collins has coached All-Americans Koi Perich and Tyler Nubin and has seen two of his safeties – Nubin (New York Giants) and Jordan Howden (New Orleans Saints) – drafted into the NFL. This past season, safeties Perich and Kerry Brown were both named semifinalists for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award semifinalists and Perich was one of five national finalists.
The first game of the 2025 season will mark the second time that Collins will call the Minnesota defense, as he also did so in Minnesota’s 2023 Quick Lane Bowl win against Bowling Green.
Since Collins has been at Minnesota, the Gophers have turned in some stellar defensive performances. In 2024, the team ranked fifth in the nation in total defense, seventh in team passing efficient defense and ninth in scoring defense. In 2022, Minnesota ranked eighth in total defense, fourth in scoring defense and seventh in team passing efficiency defense. In 2021, the Gophers ranked third in the nation in total defense and tied for sixth in scoring defense.
In 2023, Collins mentored First Team All-American safety Tyler Nubin. Nubin tied for second on the team with 53 tackles and added one sack. He also forced one fumble and recovered one fumble. Nubin also broke up four passes and led the team with five interceptions. He ended his Minnesota career with 13 interceptions, which is the most in school history.
Collins also mentored Darius Green and Jack Henderson. Green started the first 11 games of the season before missing the final two with an injury, but he ended the year with 51 tackles, three tackles for loss and one pass breakup as he stepped into a starting role. Henderson, who transferred Southeastern Louisiana prior to the season, led the Gophers with 59 tackles on the season. He also added five tackles for loss, one sack and two interceptions.
Collins also prepared Coleman Bryson and Kerry Brown to start at safety in the Quick Lane Bowl. The duo responded by each making five tackles in the contest, as Collins called the defense for the Gophers in the win.
The 2022 season saw Minnesota's defense rank eighth in the nation in 2022 in total defense at 294.7 yards per game, fourth in scoring defense at 13.85 points per game, seventh in team passing efficiency defense at 109.46 and 15th in rushing defense at 109 yards per game. Nubin and fellow safety Jordan Howden helped lead a defense that gave up only 13.85 points per game. Howden finished third on the team with 58 tackles and Nubin ended the year with 55. Howden was drafted in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints with the 146th overall pick.
Bryson started at safety in the Pinstripe Bowl and made seven tackles, broke up one pass and returned one interception 70 yards for a touchdown against Syracuse to earn MVP honors.
His input and expertise helped Minnesota’s defense post historic numbers in 2021. The Gophers ranked third in the nation in total defense at 278.8 yards per game, tied for sixth in the NCAA in scoring defense at 17.31 points per game and ranked eighth in the nation in rushing defense at 97.5 yards per game.
Collins was in quality control in his first season in Minnesota in 2017, as he worked with the defensive coaching staff. In 2018, he transitioned to a graduate assistant position for the season and was then named interim defensive backs coach for Minnesota's 34-10 win against Georgia Tech in the Quick Lane Bowl. With Collins coaching the secondary, Minnesota held Georgia Tech to just 77 passing yards and 283 total yards.
Collins moved back to quality control in 2019 and again worked on the defensive side of the ball. He was thrust into on-field coaching duties again at the Outback Bowl and was the interim defensive line coach. Minnesota thwarted Auburn's potent rushing attack and limited the Tigers to a season-low 56 rushing yards on 26 carries. The Gophers notched two sacks in the 31-24 win and both came from the Collins-led defensive line.
Prior to his time at Minnesota, Collins was a defensive graduate assistant from 2015-17 at Western Michigan, which is also where he attended college.
Collins worked with the Bronco football department in various roles starting in 2012 and then graduated with a degree in general studies in 2014 from Western Michigan. He also worked with the defense in quality control at Western Michigan and was also a student-assistant linebacker coach and a student-assistant quarterback coach. He earned his master's degree in sport management in 2016 from Western Michigan.
COLLINS AT A GLANCE
Coaching Experience
2025-present: Minnesota - Defensive Coordinator / Safeties
2023-25: Minnesota - Safeties / Defensive Pass Game Coordinator
2022: Minnesota - Safeties
2020-21: Minnesota - Senior Defensive Analyst
2019: Minnesota - Quality Control
2018: Minnesota - Graduate Assistant
2017: Minnesota - Quality Control
2015-16: Western Michigan - Defensive Graduate Assistant
Bowls Coached
2024 Duke's May Bowl (Minnesota)
2023 Quick Lane Bowl (Minnesota)
2022 Pinstripe Bowl (Minnesota)
2021 Guaranteed Rate Bowl (Minnesota)
2020 Outback Bowl (Minnesota)
2018 Quick Lane Bowl (Minnesota)
2017 Cotton Bowl (Western Michigan)
2015 Bahamas Bowl (Western Michigan)
Birthday: May 15, 1992
Hometown: Oak Lawn, Illinois
High School: Saint Rita, 2010
Alma Mater: Western Michigan, 2014 (general studies), Western Michigan, 2016 (master's degree in sport management)
Wife: Maria
Son: Rocky
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Friday, September 05
Coach Fleck Previews Northwestern State
Monday, September 01
Cinematic Recap: Gophers Win Opener
Monday, September 01
Ski-U-March Season Opener
Friday, August 29
