Nobody hated football more than McAllister Collins.

When Collins arrived at NIU to play football in 1997, he was underdeveloped and had the assignment of practicing against All-MAC offensive lineman Kent Booth.

Football wasn’t for him, he said.

Seven year later, Collins makes his career as an associate director of player relations for IM Sports Services in the field he once hated.

“I love my job,” Collins said. “It’s long hours and a lot of responsibility, but I can handle it. Having played, I can really relate to the guys. I know what they are going through.”

Collins lettered from 1997-’00 on both sides of the line for the Huskies. He was a first team All-MAC selection in 2000 at center.

But, when he first came to NIU, things were not so easy.

Collins admittedly was undersized and didn’t like the game at all. Between going up against Booth and the regular stresses of coach Joe Novak’s practices, he had enough.

“When McAllister came here, he didn’t like to run; he didn’t like to lift,” Novak said. “We used to be real physical in practice.”

But he stuck it out.

In 2000, Collins combined with fellow offensive lineman Ryan Diem to pave the way for the top offense in the MAC at 428 yards per game.

“When we started winning, he came to me and said, ‘This can be fun,’” Novak said. “He learned to like the game.”

As a result, he was picked up as a free agent by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Collins made it to the final cut with the Jaguars before being released.

He then was reassigned to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who sent him to play in NFL Europe. There, he played for the Scottish Claymores.

Pittsburgh released Collins at the end of the 2002 season. Two days later, the trip continued for Collins. This time, he was picked up by the Houston Texans.

After partially tearing his ACL in practice, the 6-foot-2, 306-pound center decided to call it a career.

“It’s tough unless you are a premier player,” Collins said. “It’s not what I expected. Guys are separated by little or nothing.”

Unlike his transition from high school to college, the transition from college to the NFL was not physically demanding on Collins.

What did wear on Collins was the mental aspect of the game and being too hard on himself.

“I would miss an assignment, and I would criticize myself too much,” Collins said. “It would kill me. I would think about it all day. It totally affects your life. You’re done if you don’t play well.”

Collins began getting into the player representation field right after his knee injury.

He now works full-time for IM Sports Services, based in Indianapolis, Ind.

Collins works in the client retention area. He is in charge of working out any problems a client has. Eventually, he wants to become a full-time sports agent.

So far, Collins has negotiated minor league contracts, and is just starting to do recruiting for IM.

Collins likes his new job, but still misses football on occasion. Then, there still is that moment when he knows he’s chosen the right field.

“I miss college more than pro,” Collins said. “It’s amazing how fast it went by. I miss the fellowship and the locker room and game day. But then, there are those summer days where I’m sitting in my office sipping lemonade.”

As for this year’s NIU team, Collins thinks there are a few players who fit the NFL mold.

Collins mentioned running back Michael Turner, defensive backs Akil Grant and Randee Drew, offensive lineman Todd Ghilani and kicker Steve Azar as having NFL potential.

The Richton Park native also said Nick Duffy, who is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, is a pro prospect.

“Duffy has a lot of numbers,” Collins said. “I think people will take a risk on him.”

P.J. Fleck might have potential, but his size might hurt him, Collins said.

Collins will be at his third NIU game of the year at Saturday’s Homecoming match against Western Michigan. He also was at the Maryland and Tennessee Tech games. His allegiance is, and always will be, to the Huskies, he said. But he realizes NIU Sports Information Director Mike Korcek may have him beat on one category.

“I’m the biggest Huskies fan ever,” Collins said, “except for Mike Korcek.”