Photo by: Kirk Neidermyer
Set back, knocked down, but Shank keeps getting back up
9/20/2019 10:12:00 AM | Football, Features
MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - Nothing has come easy for Millersville University quarterback Collin Shank over the last few years. But after pushing past many obstacles, he now walks out onto the football field at Biemesderfer Stadium both a captain and starter.
"I fell in love with that position...I like leading people; it is a priority to me," said Shank. "It makes me represent myself well because I do not want to mess up and have them mess up because of me. Another thing I like is being the center of the offense…you have to play well for the rest of the team to play well. It is a lot of pressure, but I like that and gravitate towards it."
Shank, more commonly known by his nickname "Bear," passed for the second-most yards in Lancaster-Lebanon League history (8,012) during his prep career at nearby Lampeter-Strasburg High School. But, the two-time team captain, three-time team MVP, and honor roll student faced his first major obstacle during his junior year of high school: a brain tumor.
"Spring semester I was playing baseball. For the last few weeks before I was diagnosed I was having crazy headaches and was really sensitive to light," said Shank. "A few days before I had really bad nausea. I got diagnosed and had surgery three weeks later. Luckily they got the whole tumor out and it was benign."
He attended summer workouts with the team after recovery and was able to return for the first scrimmage of his senior year of high school.
After a redshirt year at Millersville University, Shank won PSAC East Offensive Player of the Week following his first career start in 2017.
During the game, a 45-38 road win against Seton Hill, Shank threw for 424 yards and totaled six touchdowns--throwing for four and running for two. Shank came close to matching the school record for net passing yards in a single game--a record hall of famer Drew Folmar set at 458 yards in 1999. Shank led a scoring drive at the end of the fourth quarter with a touchdown pass to Kevin Wiggins that broke a 38-38 tie with 30 seconds left.
The promising season, however, ended prematurely when Shank tore his ACL and meniscus one week later against Cal U. The injury not only took nearly an entire season away from Shank, it also impacted his offseason preparation for the 2018 season. When he returned to camp in August, not only was he not full go physically, he had a new coaching staff and new offensive system.
Morgan was named the program's head coach on May 1, well after the conclusion of spring ball, so the first real interaction that Morgan had with his team was when they took to the practice field for the start of fall camp.
"It's tough because he did not have spring ball with us, and that is the time where you can really teach the offense and install it," said Morgan. "We had to cram a whole installation in in three weeks. That's tough for any quarterback, let alone one that had not had a lot of playing experience. He had to adjust to a new head coach, a whole new coordinator, and a whole new position coach all at the same time."
Despite needing to learn the new system, he won the starting position. Shank went 24-for-37 for a total of 250 yards and a touchdown in the season opener against Pace. He also threw for 331 yards against nationally-ranked IUP. However, it was an up-and-down season. His on-the-job training in the new system affected his performance as did the lingering effects of his 2017 knee injury.
Shank finished the season with a team-leading 1,508 passing yards, six touchdowns, and a 56.15 completion percentage. But for the second season in a row, he was dealt an injury that cost him one entire game and two starts.
Shank rallied and worked diligently in the offseason to rebuild his body, working with strength coach Kyle Regensburg, while also mastering the offense with offensive coordinator Jeff Tomasetti.
"If you see him walk around campus, he looks great," Morgan said in a preseason interview. "He has his body where it needs to be and I know he is very excited to get this year underway."
During the spring game, Shank, still a junior, was announced as one of the team's six captains.
"With Bear, he just had a confidence about him," said Morgan. "He's grown into a leader now but a year ago he was a little more reserved. I think he was still trying to feel us out as coaches but throughout camp he was the one that was consistent practicing...so at the end of preseason camp it was kind of an easy decision to go with Bear."
"The way [Morgan] coaches, he expects a lot out of the leaders on this team and it definitely helps me bring my best every day," said Shank. "If I'm slacking he is going to be on me. I think what Coach Morgan brings is a really fast-paced tempo and an offense that can really, really work. Guys are starting to learn that now."
Millersville started 2019 by notching its first season-opening road win since 2009 against Pace, which went 7-3 a season ago. Shank threw for 215 yards against Pace, accounting for one touchdown.
From brain surgery to a ripped up knee, Shank has seen his share of setbacks in recent years, but he is learning from them and sharing those lessons with his teammates. Shank is one of only 15 players on the roster who was with the team two years ago. The roster has 41 true freshmen. His leadership is vital.
"We are aware of what he has been through, and I am sure he is aware of that, but the best thing is that he doesn't use that as any kind of excuse," said Morgan. "He just goes out and takes care of business, and I think he would have it no other way."
"I really just want to show those guys that working hard every day is what brings wins on the weekends," said Shank. "It's not just showing up Saturday and telling yourself you can win."
"I think that the players really look up to him a lot," said Morgan. "He is not a rah-rah, in-your-face guy but what he has done over the last several months is assert his voice when needed, and at times with the young team that we have it is definitely needed. I am real happy with how he has done in that role."
Shank plans to continue in leadership roles by entering the world of coaching after graduating from Millersville University.
"[As a coach] I want to win first, for sure, because as a coach you need to win or you don't have a job. But wherever I coach, hopefully I can teach the kids that I am coaching how to grow up as a man, how to mature as a man off the field, but on the field too," said Shank. "Leading by example, helping each other out and how to push each other positively, not negatively."
"He will be a great coach," said Morgan. "He's very level-headed so he doesn't get too high and doesn't get too low. I think that that would be good for somebody who starts out in the coaching profession. I think he loves the game. He loves being around the guys, he loves just playing football and I think you have to love the game to enter coaching."
WRITER'S NOTE
As part of publication, Shank asked for readers to keep his Uncle Chris and Lampeter-Strasburg High School graduate and East Stroudsburg basketball player Ryan Smith in their thoughts. Shank's Uncle Chris is currently battling stage-four lung cancer and Smith was recently diagnosed with leukemia.
"I fell in love with that position...I like leading people; it is a priority to me," said Shank. "It makes me represent myself well because I do not want to mess up and have them mess up because of me. Another thing I like is being the center of the offense…you have to play well for the rest of the team to play well. It is a lot of pressure, but I like that and gravitate towards it."
Shank, more commonly known by his nickname "Bear," passed for the second-most yards in Lancaster-Lebanon League history (8,012) during his prep career at nearby Lampeter-Strasburg High School. But, the two-time team captain, three-time team MVP, and honor roll student faced his first major obstacle during his junior year of high school: a brain tumor.
"Spring semester I was playing baseball. For the last few weeks before I was diagnosed I was having crazy headaches and was really sensitive to light," said Shank. "A few days before I had really bad nausea. I got diagnosed and had surgery three weeks later. Luckily they got the whole tumor out and it was benign."
He attended summer workouts with the team after recovery and was able to return for the first scrimmage of his senior year of high school.
After a redshirt year at Millersville University, Shank won PSAC East Offensive Player of the Week following his first career start in 2017.
During the game, a 45-38 road win against Seton Hill, Shank threw for 424 yards and totaled six touchdowns--throwing for four and running for two. Shank came close to matching the school record for net passing yards in a single game--a record hall of famer Drew Folmar set at 458 yards in 1999. Shank led a scoring drive at the end of the fourth quarter with a touchdown pass to Kevin Wiggins that broke a 38-38 tie with 30 seconds left.The promising season, however, ended prematurely when Shank tore his ACL and meniscus one week later against Cal U. The injury not only took nearly an entire season away from Shank, it also impacted his offseason preparation for the 2018 season. When he returned to camp in August, not only was he not full go physically, he had a new coaching staff and new offensive system.
Morgan was named the program's head coach on May 1, well after the conclusion of spring ball, so the first real interaction that Morgan had with his team was when they took to the practice field for the start of fall camp.
"It's tough because he did not have spring ball with us, and that is the time where you can really teach the offense and install it," said Morgan. "We had to cram a whole installation in in three weeks. That's tough for any quarterback, let alone one that had not had a lot of playing experience. He had to adjust to a new head coach, a whole new coordinator, and a whole new position coach all at the same time."
Despite needing to learn the new system, he won the starting position. Shank went 24-for-37 for a total of 250 yards and a touchdown in the season opener against Pace. He also threw for 331 yards against nationally-ranked IUP. However, it was an up-and-down season. His on-the-job training in the new system affected his performance as did the lingering effects of his 2017 knee injury.
Shank finished the season with a team-leading 1,508 passing yards, six touchdowns, and a 56.15 completion percentage. But for the second season in a row, he was dealt an injury that cost him one entire game and two starts.
Shank rallied and worked diligently in the offseason to rebuild his body, working with strength coach Kyle Regensburg, while also mastering the offense with offensive coordinator Jeff Tomasetti.
"If you see him walk around campus, he looks great," Morgan said in a preseason interview. "He has his body where it needs to be and I know he is very excited to get this year underway."
During the spring game, Shank, still a junior, was announced as one of the team's six captains.
"With Bear, he just had a confidence about him," said Morgan. "He's grown into a leader now but a year ago he was a little more reserved. I think he was still trying to feel us out as coaches but throughout camp he was the one that was consistent practicing...so at the end of preseason camp it was kind of an easy decision to go with Bear."
"The way [Morgan] coaches, he expects a lot out of the leaders on this team and it definitely helps me bring my best every day," said Shank. "If I'm slacking he is going to be on me. I think what Coach Morgan brings is a really fast-paced tempo and an offense that can really, really work. Guys are starting to learn that now."
Millersville started 2019 by notching its first season-opening road win since 2009 against Pace, which went 7-3 a season ago. Shank threw for 215 yards against Pace, accounting for one touchdown.
From brain surgery to a ripped up knee, Shank has seen his share of setbacks in recent years, but he is learning from them and sharing those lessons with his teammates. Shank is one of only 15 players on the roster who was with the team two years ago. The roster has 41 true freshmen. His leadership is vital.
"We are aware of what he has been through, and I am sure he is aware of that, but the best thing is that he doesn't use that as any kind of excuse," said Morgan. "He just goes out and takes care of business, and I think he would have it no other way."
"I really just want to show those guys that working hard every day is what brings wins on the weekends," said Shank. "It's not just showing up Saturday and telling yourself you can win."
"I think that the players really look up to him a lot," said Morgan. "He is not a rah-rah, in-your-face guy but what he has done over the last several months is assert his voice when needed, and at times with the young team that we have it is definitely needed. I am real happy with how he has done in that role."
Shank plans to continue in leadership roles by entering the world of coaching after graduating from Millersville University.
"[As a coach] I want to win first, for sure, because as a coach you need to win or you don't have a job. But wherever I coach, hopefully I can teach the kids that I am coaching how to grow up as a man, how to mature as a man off the field, but on the field too," said Shank. "Leading by example, helping each other out and how to push each other positively, not negatively."
"He will be a great coach," said Morgan. "He's very level-headed so he doesn't get too high and doesn't get too low. I think that that would be good for somebody who starts out in the coaching profession. I think he loves the game. He loves being around the guys, he loves just playing football and I think you have to love the game to enter coaching."
WRITER'S NOTE
As part of publication, Shank asked for readers to keep his Uncle Chris and Lampeter-Strasburg High School graduate and East Stroudsburg basketball player Ryan Smith in their thoughts. Shank's Uncle Chris is currently battling stage-four lung cancer and Smith was recently diagnosed with leukemia.
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