Notre Dame LB Prince Kollie Focused on Physicality
Notre Dame linebacker Prince Kollie got a taste of college football last fall.
The 6-foot, 220-pounder played 58 snaps over five games and had momentum coming out of the spring.
Kollie then suffered a concussion in preseason camp, which knocked him out for a few weeks and the Tennessee native, unfortunately, missed crucial reps as defensive Al Golden installed his scheme and rotations.
The good news is Kollie is healthy and has played in the last four games for Notre Dame, which included registering his first career sack against BYU earlier this month.
Golden feels Kollie is coming on and it starts with physicality.
"I'm getting better at block destruction," Kollie explained. "Getting better at understanding the defense and just playing free. That's what you need in a linebacker is to be able to play free and play fast. I'm figuring that out.
"I'm getting back to my high school days, where I was really, really physical. It's showing up now. It's reassuring for me. Like, 'OK, this is no different from high school. You can still do a lot of the same things you did then. So just go play."
The sack against BYU was a significant confidence boost for the sophomore backer. Kollie had made plays here and there, but on that play, he let his athleticism and instincts take over, which was what the Notre Dame staff wanted to see.
“He just has to trust his technique and read his keys and not try to figure it out,” said Golden. “It's as simple as that. Just make the game really, really small and don't try to see too much. Just read your keys and go.
"So, I'd like to see him do a little bit more of that. I've communicated that to him. And that's what we're working on right now. But no, I mean, his attitude, his effort, what he's doing in practice I'm excited about."
It was a moment Kollie won’t soon forget, but also one he hopes to experience often over the his Notre Dame career.
"I was really excited," stated Kollie. "I felt like that was the first of many. I'm just trying to get better each day and continue to do that."
Like most young players, Kollie will only get better with more playing time and getting game reps is something he craves. Notre Dame has several experienced linebackers in front of him and Kollie has quickly grasped the importance of taking advantage of each play he's on the field.
"You have to make the most of every snap," said Kollie. "What I try to tell myself is don't let it be too late. That's what I try to tell myself on every play.
"Don't be like five years, 10 years down the road and think back to these moments and be like, 'I wish I would have played harder. Done this, that.' You have to give your all every single snap because you don't have this game forever."
Special teams has also been an area where Kollie has shown up this fall.
Kollie is only credited with one blocked punt, but special teams coordinator Brian Mason gave him credit for blocking one last weekend, as he and Isaiah Foskey both got a hand on the ball.
"Coach Mase does a really good job of scheming up how to get to the ball," Kollie stated. "We knew that somebody would be let loose.
"We talk about straining for five seconds to win the interval. That's what I did. I wasn't supposed to be the one to get it, but I strained and I got there and made a play."
The Irish might only get five minutes a week to work on punt block, but that's credit to Mason for maximizing the time as Notre Dame has four blocked punts on the year.
"Three blocked punts in the past two games, so we all know that we have a chance to block one every game," explained Kollie. "We're excited about it. We know we have a chance to impact the game. That's what we try to do."
The chance to play with several veterans in the linebacker unit hasn't been a negative for Kollie. In fact, Kollie has tried to be a sponge since he arrived on campus as he knows the knowledge he learns now will benefit him down the road.
"Their work ethic is unmatched," Kollie said of Notre Dame's veteran linebacker corps. "Unmatched. I've never seen anything like it. They're so disciplined and detailed in every area of their life. That's what I really love about this group. That's what I try to extract from them is their discipline.
"It's little things from taking care of your body to being in the film room extra to being in the classroom extra. They're truly incredible. Seriously. It's unbelievable. That's what I try to model myself after: Bo (Bauer), JD (Bertrand), Jack (Kiser), Marist (Liufau), all of them. The whole group."
Kollie has also made sure to help freshman linebacker Jaylen Sneed over the last few months. Sneed hasn't seen the field after arriving as a highly-ranked recruit, which was similar to Kollie's situation a year ago.
"He reminds me a lot of myself, so I really try to help him where I can," Kollie stated. "Try to keep his spirits up because it's tough, especially being an LB. It's really tough to get on the field. We have to be sharp in all areas.
"He's learning that this is different from high school. That's what I had to learn too. He's figuring it out every day. I'm proud of him, how far he's come since the spring."
And yes, Kollie has been impressed with Sneed's natural ability, but for the freshman to play, Sneed will need to master a few more of the finer mental details.
"Naturally, he's a hitter," said Kollie. "He's a lot like me. He's a hitter. He's really strong with his hands. He can run to the ball. Those are the things that he's really good at.
"He's figuring out the defense a little bit more. What we have to do here, here, here and here. How do we check to this, that and the other? He's learning it. It's a lot on his plate, but he's learning it. So I'm proud of him."
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