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MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2000 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Michel
Senate Concurrent Resolution 583
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING THURMON L. "BOBBY" COLLINS, JR. FOR HIS OUTSTANDING COACHING CAREER AND CONGRATULATING HIM UPON HIS INDUCTION INTO THE MISSISSIPPI SPORTS HALL OF FAME.
WHEREAS, Thurmon L. "Bobby" Collins, Jr., will be inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame on March 10, 2000; and
WHEREAS, Bobby Collins' induction into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame is in recognition of his coaching accomplishments and his contributions to the athletic community; and
WHEREAS, Bobby Collins was an outstanding high school quarterback at Laurel High School; and
WHEREAS, Bobby Collins played football at Mississippi State University from 1951 through 1954, lettering all four years; and
WHEREAS, Bobby Collins was starting quarterback and co-captain of the bulldogs in his senior season; and
WHEREAS, after graduation, Bobby served as backfield coach at Colorado State, Mississippi State and George Washington University; and
WHEREAS, in 1964, Bobby switched sides of the football and served as defensive coordinator at Virginia Tech until 1967; and
WHEREAS, in 1967, Bobby returned to guiding the offense when he went to North Carolina; and
WHEREAS, the North Carolina offense led the ACC in total offense and scoring in three of the five years that Collins coached at Chapel Hill; and
WHEREAS, in 1971, he was named assistant head coach and defensive coordinator of the North Carolina Tar Heels; and
WHEREAS, in 1975, the University of Southern Mississippi picked Bobby Collins as head coach; and
WHEREAS, from 1975 through 1981, Bobby led the University of Southern Mississippi football team to national prominence; and
WHEREAS, the hallmark of the Golden Eagle football team under Bobby's leadership was a tenacious, hard-hitting team that came to play 60 minutes of football every week; and
WHEREAS, Bobby led the Golden Eagles to their first two bowl appearances as a Division 1A program; and
WHEREAS, in 1980, his team finished with 9 wins and only 3 losses with a win in the Independence Bowl; and
WHEREAS, in 1981, he led the Golden Eagles to a 9-2-1 mark, an appearance in the Tangerine Bowl and a ranking of 18th nationally; and
WHEREAS, under the enthusiastic, tireless, and charismatic leadership of Bobby Collins a unique relationship developed between Coach Collins and the Hattiesburg community, the fans, the alumni, and the team which is best described as Eagle Fever; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of Bobby's ability to accomplish so much with a football program with far fewer resources than those of opposing teams, SMU convinced Bobby Collins to head their football program in 1982; and
WHEREAS, Bobby led the SMU Mustangs to national rankings and bowl wins; and
WHEREAS, his team in 1982 was the only unbeaten team in the nation and finished with a No. 2 national ranking and a Cotton Bowl victory over Pittsburgh; and
WHEREAS, in 1983 and 1984, Bobby's Mustangs finished with ten wins and only two losses; and
WHEREAS, Bobby Collins was honored as the Southwest Conference Coach of the Year in 1982; and
WHEREAS, his 1983, SMU team has the unique distinction of playing in three bowl games in one year by playing in the Cotton Bowl in January, the Mirage Bowl in Tokyo, Japan, on November 26, and the Sun Bowl on December 24; and
WHEREAS, in 1986, Bobby retired from coaching and returned home to Hattiesburg, Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, in 1992, USM President Aubrey Lucas called upon Bobby Collins to assist in building the USM Eagle Club; and
WHEREAS, under Bobby's leadership, the USM Eagle Club set new fundraising and membership records; and
WHEREAS, Bobby Collins has earned the respect and admiration of his peers, his players and all who have been fortunate to know Bobby; and
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the Legislature to recognize the accomplishments and contributions of its outstanding citizens:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend Thurmon L. "Bobby" Collins, Jr., for his outstanding accomplishments in his coaching career and his contributions to his state and community and congratulate him upon his induction into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be presented to Bobby Collins.