Otis Collier, Mays High (Class of 1965, football, track)

Mays High School in Goulds, Florida football players (1964). Graduating seniors on the varsity team that season included Collier (no. 48), Frederick Pope, William Charlton, Jerry Ferguson, Beeman Johnson, Tommie Mitchell, Jesse Williams, Thomas Whittier, Charles Clark, Bud Copeland, Johnnie Brown, Edward Simms, Elmer Moore, and the captain, Willie Smith. (Photo courtesy of Willie Walton)
Otis Collier poses for a photo at Florida A&M University. Collier was a 1970 graduate of FAMU. He was inducted into the FAMU Sports Hall of Fame in 1998. (Photo courtesy of Courtney Carole Collier)

Otis Collier was a 1965 graduate of Mays High School, where he played football and ran track. He was a quarterback/halfback for the football team from 1961-1964. As a senior, he earned All-City honors in football. In track he was a state medalist as a member of the 1965 State Championship sprint medley relay team. He ran the second leg on the Rams’ winning sprint medley relay team that won in 2:00.01. The relay team also consisted of Frederick Pope, Willie Laster and Johnny Brown. He helped the Rams Track and Field team to State Finals Runner-up finishes in 1964 and 1965. The Rams competed in the all-Black Florida Interscholastic Athletic Association in the days before integration. He was named Mays High School’s Outstanding Athlete of the Year for the 1964-1965 school year.

After high school, he attended Florida A&M University on a football scholarship. He was a four-year starter and letterman for the Rattlers football team as an defensive back. He was named team’s Rookie of the Year as a freshman and was a two-time All-Conference (as a junior and senior). He also was chosen as a team co-captain for two seasons (as a junior and senior). Otis was named team’s Defensive Back of the Year as a junior. He received the Outstanding Senior Player award following his senior season. The other honors he earned during his senior season included All-State College Football and Black College All-American teams. Otis finished his career with 11 pass interceptions, including one he returned for 92 yards against Tennessee State (1967). He has been recognized as part of FAMU’s all-century football team. Otis was inducted into the FAMU Sports Hall of Fame in 1998. He tried out with the Miami Dolphins in 1970.

The former Mays High and Florida A&M University grad Otis Collier, Class of 1965, left, and Mays High and Savannah State College (now Savannah State University) grad Dennis Davis, Class of 1964, pose with a football at a Ram Round-up reunion in 2004. (Photo courtesy of Leroy Bradshaw)

After graduation, Collier began a 30+ career as an educator and coach spending 25 years coaching football at various local high schools including South Dade, Palmetto, South Miami and Killian.

Here’s a list of the awards Collier has received:

1964 State Runner-Up Track Team

1964 2nd Team Miami News High School All-Star Football

1964 Honorable Mention Miami Herald All-City Football Team

1965 Senior on the State Championship Sprint Medley Relay Team

1965 State Runner-Up Track Team

1965 Outstanding Athlete of the Year

Football – 4 years

Track – 4 years

Four Year Starter – 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968

1965 Rookie of the Year

1968 Co-Captain

1968 1st Team All SIAC Football Team

1968 Most Valuable Defensive Back

1969 Co-Captain

1969 Outstanding Senior Player Award

1969 1st Team All SIAC Football Team

1969 1st Team All State College Football Team

1969 2nd Team Black College Football All-American

Four Year Football Letterman – Florida A&M University

1993 Florida Athletic Coaches Association’s Outstanding Service Award

1998 Inductee into the Florida A&M University Sports Hall of Fame

2005 All Century Football Team

2006 Lifetime Achievement Award

 

About Carma Henry 24481 Articles
Carma Lynn Henry Westside Gazette Newspaper 545 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311 Office: (954) 525-1489 Fax: (954) 525-1861

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