MONROE, La. – Pat Collins, who led the 1987 NLU football team to the 1-AA National Championship, has passed away. He was 84.
 
Collins directed NLU's football program to its greatest season ever in 1987 when the Indians won the 1-AA National Championship with a 13-2 record. A Shreveport native, Collins captured a record of 57-35 in eight seasons, defeating Louisiana Tech six times. The head coach won two Southland Conference titles and had two runner-up finishes throughout his tenure. He also produced 17 All-Americans and 66 all-conference players. He was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.