Austin Peay freshman defensive back Jeremiah Collins dies after car accident

Jeremiah Collins, an 18-year-old freshman football player for Austin Peay, died after he was in a single-car crash Friday, the school and police said.

Collins was driving a 2004 GMC Canyon pickup truck at a high rate of speed in Clarksville, Tennessee − near the Austin Peay campus − when his vehicle left the roadway and rolled several times before coming to a rest in a grass area, according to a Metro Nashville Police release. Collins was taken to a nearby hospital where he died. Police said there were no signs of impairment at the scene.

Austin Peavy announced Collins' death Saturday.

"We are all devastated and heartbroken by the loss of Jeremiah Collins," said head football coach Scott Walden said in a statement. "Jeremiah was an outstanding young man who brought an incredible attitude and energy every day. We grieve with the Collins family for their tragic loss and lift them up in prayer."

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Austin Peay athletic director Gerald Harrison said "all of our thoughts and prayers are with the Collins Family today."

"We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Jeremiah, and we will do everything we can to support his friends, family, and teammates at this time," he added.

Collins played his high school senior season at Murfressboro Oakland in Tennessee, as he had a big impact with the Patriots during their third consecutive Class 6A state championship season in 2022. He had originally committed to Louisville, but later signed with Austin Peay.

"(Collins) was a huge asset to our championship run, but had a bigger impact in our locker room," Oakland coach Kevin Creasy told the Murfreesboro Daily News Journal, part of the Paste BN Network. "Jeremiah was a tremendous player but an even better teammate. This terrible news has made all of us sick and heartbroken."

Collins was set to be a defensive back for Austin Peay. The Governors open their season at Southern Illinois on Sept. 2.

Contributing: Cecil Joyce, Murfreesboro Daily News Journal