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GREELEY, COLO. (AP) -- A former Northern Colorado assistant coach has been named as the school's new coach.

Athletics director Jay Hinrichs said Tuesday that Ernest Collins Jr. will be the Bears' 16th football coach.

Collins, on the team from 1991 to 1994, is the school's single-season school record holder for punt return yards -- 497 his senior season. He amassed a total of 978 punt return yards.

Collins told the Greeley Tribune that a press conference on his new job is planned for Thursday.

Collins will succeed Scott Downing, fired in November after five seasons and a 9-47 overall record.

Besides Northern Colorado, Collins was an assistant at Northwest Missouri State, Kansas, Central Florida and Alcorn State, where he was promoted to head coach last year.

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Information from: Greeley Daily Tribune 

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