Collins named new OHS coach

OPELOUSAS - Eunice High assistant football coach Dwight Collins has been hired as the athletic director/head football coach at Opelousas High last Thursday during a meeting of the St. Landry Parish School Board.
Collins was also the head boys track coach at Eunice High.
“I am very excited,” Collins said. “I understand there is a lot of work that is going to have to take place.
“But I don’t mind the work. I am willing to put in the energy to try and stabilize that program.”
Collins was at Eunice Junior High and Northwest prior to his three years at EHS.
Opelousas was 3-27 over the past three seasons under former head coach Quentin Payne, who resigned the position Feb. 13.
“After watching how Coach (Paul) Trosclair did his business, I am going to model myself after - my time at Eunice High was invaluable.”
OHS opened last season with a 23-20 win over West St. Mary and then lost nine straight games.
The 2013 Tigers were winless, while OHS beat Beau Chene in 2012 and went 1-9 in 2011.
The Tigers also failed to win a district game during Payne’s tenure at OHS.
Payne was hired at Opelousas High when Larry Dauterive retired after his second stint with the Tigers.
Collins said he plans to rebuild OHS football beginning at the youngest players.
“I want to meet at a feeder school and try and convince them to come out for football,” Collins said.
“I am also going to meet with the male student population at the high school.
“We need a freshman team and a junior varsity team,” the coach explained. “We need that going on to the varsity level.
“There is potential there,” he said of the Tiger football program. “It is a sleeping giant but there are plenty of challenges to move it forward.
“It is going to take work to turn it around.”
Collins said it begins at spring practice as he puts in his new schemes that he learned at Eunice High.
“We need to start the teaching of our schemes offensively and defensively,” the coach said. “It will be crucial as they earn their starting positions.”
Collins said he can’t guarantee any wins, but he feels if the team learns the schemes and competes, everything will take of itself.
“The hardest thing about this move is leaving the kids at Eunice High School,” Collins said. “But I am ready for the opportunity.”
Eunice and Opelousas kick off the 2015 football season on Sept. 4.