NASHVILLE, TN - As a result of an auto accident in Nashville this past Friday night, a former Oakland High School football player who most recently played for Austin Peay State University has died. The crash happened on Briley Parkway West at the I-24 to Clarksville exit.

The preliminary investigation indicates the 2004 GMC Canyon pick-up truck driven by Jeremiah Collins of Rutherford County was traveling at a high rate of speed when attempting to take the exit. The truck left the roadway and rolled several times before coming to a rest in a grassy area.

Collins, who is from Lascassas, was transported to Skyline Medical Center where he died. According to Metro Police, there were no signs of impairment at the scene.

Collins was a freshman at Austin Peay State University where he played football for The Governors. Head football coach Scotty Walden said,  "We are all devastated and heartbroken by the loss of Jeremiah Collins." Walden went on to state, "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.”

Collins graduated from Oakland High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, last spring. Collins was a member of the Patriots' 2022 TSSAA 6A State Championship team, playing defensive back, wide receiver, and returning kicks.

Austin Peay had an outpouring of support for the Collins family after the accident. Donations were collected through the Govs Care fund to assist the Collins family with funeral arrangements (Click here for the link). The Govs Care fund was created by Austin Peay Athletics for emergencies, catastrophic injuries, and crisis-care situations to support student-athletes and their families.