{{Short description|American football player (1924–2002)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Floyd Collier | image = Floyd Collier.png | caption = Floyd Collier, 1946 | number = 48 | position = Tackle | birth_date = {{birth date|1924|5|10}} | birth_place = Fresno, California | death_date = September 3, 2002 (aged 78) | death_place = Laguna Hills, California | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 1 | weight_lbs = 215 | high_school = Exeter (CA) | college = San Jose State, USC | draftyear = | draftround = | draftpick = | pastteams = * San Francisco 49ers (1948) | pfr = CollFl20 | statlabel1 = Games | statvalue1 = 12 }} '''Floyd Lee Collier''' (May 10, 1924 – September 3, 2002) was an American football player who played at the tackle position. He played college football for San Jose State and USC, military football for the 1944 Saint Mary's Pre-Flight Air Devils football team, and professional football for the 1948 San Francisco 49ers.
==Early years== Collier was born in 1924 in Fresno, California. He attended and played football at Exeter Union High School in Exeter, California.<ref name=PFA/>
==Military and college football== After graduating from high school, Collier enrolled at San Jose State College in 1942. He was a member of the 1942 San Jose State Spartans football team and also competed in the discus and javelin throw for the San Jose State track team.<ref>{{cite news|title=FSC, Spartans Rated Even In Meeting Here|newspaper=The Fresno Bee|date=May 5, 1943|page=14|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75062902/fsc-spartans-rated-even-in-meeting-here/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
His college career was interrupted by service in the United States Navy during World War II.<ref name=PFA/> While serving in the Navy, he played as a first string tackle for the 1944 Saint Mary's Pre-Flight Air Devils football team that was ranked No. 19 in the final AP Poll.<ref name=LAT46/><ref name=Trojan>{{cite news|title=Here's Three Tough Troy Tackles|newspaper=Daily Trojan|date=September 19, 1946|page=3|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/los-angeles-southern-california-university-daily-trojan-sep-19-1946-p-3/|via=NewspaperArchive.com}}</ref>
After the war, Collier enrolled at the University of Southern California and played on the 1946 USC Trojans football team.<ref name=PFA/><ref name=Trojan/><ref name=LAT46>{{cite news|title=Star Athletes Enroll at Southern California|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=March 5, 1946|page=II-7|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75062493/star-athletes-enroll-at-southern/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
==Professional football== Collier played professional football in the All-America Football Conference for the 1948 San Francisco 49ers team that compiled a 12–2 record and averaged over 35 points per game. During the 49ers preseason training camp, Collier entertained the team by hypnotizing teammates Verl Lillywhite and Paul Crowe into taking off their shoes and scratching their left feet.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Low Down|newspaper=San Francisco Examiner|author=Prescott Sullivan|date=September 4, 1948|page=12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75063809/the-low-down/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He appeared in 12 of the 49ers' 14 games.<ref name=PFA>{{cite web|title=Floyd Collier|publisher=Pro Football Archives|accessdate=April 3, 2021|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/playerc/coll00800.html|archive-date=August 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200813174720/https://www.profootballarchives.com/playerc/coll00800.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=PFR>{{cite web|title=Floyd Collier Stats|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|accessdate=April 3, 2021|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CollFl20.htm}}</ref>
==Family and later years== Collier died in 2002 at age 78 in Laguna Hills, California.<ref name=PFR/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Collier, Flooyd}} Category:1924 births Category:2002 deaths Category:San Francisco 49ers (AAFC) players Category:USC Trojans football players Category:San Jose State Spartans football players Category:Players of American football from Fresno, California Category:American football tackles Category:United States Navy personnel of World War II Category:San Francisco 49ers players