Michigan State University Athletics
Collin Lucas Feature: Success Out Of The Spotlight
9/6/2018 11:46:00 AM | Football
A former  walk-on  who  only  played  in  two  games  his  first  three  years  at  Michigan  State  is  ready  to  take  on  a  key  role  his  senior  season.
Senior  fullback  Collin  Lucas  has  been  deter-mined  to  show  what  an  honor  it  is  to  wear  the  Green  and  White  of  Michigan  State  since  he  first  stepped  on  campus. Â
Lucas  spent  his  first  few  years  practicing  on  the  scout  team,  learning  the  Spartan  offense,  and  helping  anywhere  on  the  field  he  could.  As  his  junior  year  rolled  around,  Lucas  found  himself  playing  in  all  13  games,  five  of  which  he  started. Â
Now  entering  his  senior  season,  Lucas  is  ready  to  take  on  bigger  responsibility  and  to  play  a  crucial  role  in  the  Spartan  offense.
"I  just  try  to  do  what  I  can  for  the  team  since  I've  been  here  whether  it  was  scout  team  or  whatever.  I  kind  of  knew  when  I  came  here  as  a  walk-on  that  it  was  going  to  be  tough,  but  my  goal  was  to  earn  a  scholarship  and  eventually  play  which  I'm  happy  I  got  to  reach  those  goals  and  just  help  the  team  out  in  whichever  way  I  can,"  Lucas  said.
With  a  lot  of  hard  work  and  motivation,  Lucas  accomplished  one  of  the  goals  he  set  for  himself  at  Michigan  State.  In  the  Spring  of  2017,  he  was  awarded  a  scholarship  by  MSU  head  coach  Mark  Dantonio  and  the  Spartan  coaching  staff.
"It  was  a  great  feeling.  I  had  kind  of  a  load  lifted  off  me  not  having  to  take  out  more  student  loans  and  everything,  but  it  was  awe-some,"  Lucas  said.  "I  think  I  learned  about  it  around  Christmas  time.  I  went  home  and  told  my  family  over  Christmas  break,  so  that  was  a  great  thing  for  them  too."
Just  like  any  other  year  on  any  other  team,  there  comes  a  time  when  a  player  is  now  in  the  position  of  using  his  experiences  to  help  the  underclassmen. Â
Lucas  has  found  himself  in  the  position  over  the  course  of  summer  camps  and  workouts  but  has  taken  it  on  with  great  honor.
"It's  definitely  a  huge  legacy  thing  here  with  them.  We  try  to  take  each  young  Spartan  and  show  them  what  it  means  to  be  a  Spartan.  You  know,  right  now  I'm  just  trying  to  teach  the  younger  kids  in  the  running  back  room  since  we  didn't  have  a  fullback  come  in  this  season,  but  I  still  help  them  learn  what  they  have  to  do  and  everything,"  Lucas  said. Â
Over  the  past  four  years  at  the  fullback  spot,  Lucas  has  come  to  understand  the  role  he  plays  on  this  team.  He  has  used  his  role  to  help  and  to  create  success  for  the  Spartan  offense.
"Sometimes  you  don't  really  get  noticed,  but  you  have  to  just  take  pride  in  being  able  to  throw  your  body  in  there  to  protect  who  you've  got  to  and  having  the  defender  hit  you  instead  of  the  running  backs,  so  they  can  gain  even  if  it's  just  on  extra  inch  and  stuff  like  that.  You  just  have  to  take  pride  in  it,"  Lucas  said.
With  all  the  players  and  positions  the  sport  of  football  consists  of  not  everyone  gets  the  shining  moment  of  scoring  a  touchdown  or  kicking  a  winning  field  goal. Â
Although  he  knows  and  accepts  that  at  his  position  he  receives  little  praise  and  glory  for  the  outcome  of  a  game  or  successful  play, Lucas  takes  tremendous  amounts  of  pride  for  helping  in  any  way  that  he  can. Â
"If  I  can  be  a  part  of  just  one  play  that  is  a  part  of  a  drive,  if  I  know  we  got  some  positive  yards  from  it,  then  that's  a  great  feeling,"  Lucas  said.  "Running  out  and  celebrating  with  your  teammates  after  LJ  (Scott)  scores  or  (Brian)  Lewerke  throws  a  touchdown  or  some-thing  like  that  it's  just  great  to  be  out  there  with  everybody."
As  Lucas  awaits  the  beginning  of  the  season,  he  also  heads  towards  the  end  of  an  era.  For  Lucas  this  may  be  the  end  of  a  passion  that  consumed  a  big  part  of  his  life,  but  he  won't  let  that  stop  him  from  accomplishing  the  goals  he  still  hopes  to  achieve.
With  his  final  season  ahead  of  him,  Lucas  will  push  himself  and  his  teammates  to  give  their  best  and  hopefully  reach  their  full  potential.
"Just  kind  of  leave  it  all  on  the  field,"  Lucas  said.  "Every  game,  every  play  you  have  to  treat  it  like  you  only  get  so  many  more  reps  be-cause  after  this,  probably  after  the  last  game  here,  will  probably  be  my  last  game  I  ever  play  in  this  sport,  so  just  have  to  make  the  most of it."
Â
Senior  fullback  Collin  Lucas  has  been  deter-mined  to  show  what  an  honor  it  is  to  wear  the  Green  and  White  of  Michigan  State  since  he  first  stepped  on  campus. Â
Lucas  spent  his  first  few  years  practicing  on  the  scout  team,  learning  the  Spartan  offense,  and  helping  anywhere  on  the  field  he  could.  As  his  junior  year  rolled  around,  Lucas  found  himself  playing  in  all  13  games,  five  of  which  he  started. Â
Now  entering  his  senior  season,  Lucas  is  ready  to  take  on  bigger  responsibility  and  to  play  a  crucial  role  in  the  Spartan  offense.
"I  just  try  to  do  what  I  can  for  the  team  since  I've  been  here  whether  it  was  scout  team  or  whatever.  I  kind  of  knew  when  I  came  here  as  a  walk-on  that  it  was  going  to  be  tough,  but  my  goal  was  to  earn  a  scholarship  and  eventually  play  which  I'm  happy  I  got  to  reach  those  goals  and  just  help  the  team  out  in  whichever  way  I  can,"  Lucas  said.
With  a  lot  of  hard  work  and  motivation,  Lucas  accomplished  one  of  the  goals  he  set  for  himself  at  Michigan  State.  In  the  Spring  of  2017,  he  was  awarded  a  scholarship  by  MSU  head  coach  Mark  Dantonio  and  the  Spartan  coaching  staff.
"It  was  a  great  feeling.  I  had  kind  of  a  load  lifted  off  me  not  having  to  take  out  more  student  loans  and  everything,  but  it  was  awe-some,"  Lucas  said.  "I  think  I  learned  about  it  around  Christmas  time.  I  went  home  and  told  my  family  over  Christmas  break,  so  that  was  a  great  thing  for  them  too."
Just  like  any  other  year  on  any  other  team,  there  comes  a  time  when  a  player  is  now  in  the  position  of  using  his  experiences  to  help  the  underclassmen. Â
Lucas  has  found  himself  in  the  position  over  the  course  of  summer  camps  and  workouts  but  has  taken  it  on  with  great  honor.
"It's  definitely  a  huge  legacy  thing  here  with  them.  We  try  to  take  each  young  Spartan  and  show  them  what  it  means  to  be  a  Spartan.  You  know,  right  now  I'm  just  trying  to  teach  the  younger  kids  in  the  running  back  room  since  we  didn't  have  a  fullback  come  in  this  season,  but  I  still  help  them  learn  what  they  have  to  do  and  everything,"  Lucas  said. Â
Over  the  past  four  years  at  the  fullback  spot,  Lucas  has  come  to  understand  the  role  he  plays  on  this  team.  He  has  used  his  role  to  help  and  to  create  success  for  the  Spartan  offense.
"Sometimes  you  don't  really  get  noticed,  but  you  have  to  just  take  pride  in  being  able  to  throw  your  body  in  there  to  protect  who  you've  got  to  and  having  the  defender  hit  you  instead  of  the  running  backs,  so  they  can  gain  even  if  it's  just  on  extra  inch  and  stuff  like  that.  You  just  have  to  take  pride  in  it,"  Lucas  said.
With  all  the  players  and  positions  the  sport  of  football  consists  of  not  everyone  gets  the  shining  moment  of  scoring  a  touchdown  or  kicking  a  winning  field  goal. Â
Although  he  knows  and  accepts  that  at  his  position  he  receives  little  praise  and  glory  for  the  outcome  of  a  game  or  successful  play, Lucas  takes  tremendous  amounts  of  pride  for  helping  in  any  way  that  he  can. Â
"If  I  can  be  a  part  of  just  one  play  that  is  a  part  of  a  drive,  if  I  know  we  got  some  positive  yards  from  it,  then  that's  a  great  feeling,"  Lucas  said.  "Running  out  and  celebrating  with  your  teammates  after  LJ  (Scott)  scores  or  (Brian)  Lewerke  throws  a  touchdown  or  some-thing  like  that  it's  just  great  to  be  out  there  with  everybody."
As  Lucas  awaits  the  beginning  of  the  season,  he  also  heads  towards  the  end  of  an  era.  For  Lucas  this  may  be  the  end  of  a  passion  that  consumed  a  big  part  of  his  life,  but  he  won't  let  that  stop  him  from  accomplishing  the  goals  he  still  hopes  to  achieve.
With  his  final  season  ahead  of  him,  Lucas  will  push  himself  and  his  teammates  to  give  their  best  and  hopefully  reach  their  full  potential.
"Just  kind  of  leave  it  all  on  the  field,"  Lucas  said.  "Every  game,  every  play  you  have  to  treat  it  like  you  only  get  so  many  more  reps  be-cause  after  this,  probably  after  the  last  game  here,  will  probably  be  my  last  game  I  ever  play  in  this  sport,  so  just  have  to  make  the  most of it."
Â
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