MEADVILLE — Franklin County head coach Anthony Hart plans to let De’Martre Collins loose this season.

Hart said Collins, who was the team’s starting quarterback last season, will be seen in a variety of ways this season.

“He is important to us and we are going to try and get him the football in a lot of different ways,” Hart said. “Last year we had him at quarterback and you are a little limited to what you can do with him at quarterback. He was a great player, don’t get me wrong, but we are going to put him everywhere.”

Collins finished the 2014 season with more than 1,000 all-purpose yards, but his goal for this year will test his skills to the max.

“I want at least 2,500 all-purpose yards,” Collins said. “That is my goal. It is going to take a lot of work, but my goal is to get there, and I’m going to get there.”

At 5’8”, 170 pounds, Collins is nowhere near the biggest player on the field, but the junior is arguably the biggest playmaker.

“It is a good thing to have kids like him,” Hart said. “The thing he brings to the table is he works extremely hard and is a competitive guy. Maybe a little too competitive and hard on himself sometimes, but he is very versatile and will be a difference maker.”

Collins said he hopes to settle in at slot receiver and defensive back this season.

“I’ve been around those positions a lot,” he said. “I know the techniques. My brother was a defensive back at Ole Miss and taught me those techniques and I’ve been working with coach on my defensive back technique to get it right.”

One thing that Collins will for sure be in 2015 is a team leader, after taking the reigns last season.

“The leadership quality I see in him is the way he works,” Hart said. “We don’t have to worry about him doing what he is supposed to do and he goes full speed every day.”

Collins said playing quarterback helped him gain the trust of his teammates.

“I became a great leader for this team last year,” he said. “Everybody looks up to me. If I have a bad day, they have a bad day. I carry those boys like my brothers.”

Although he still has two full years of high school football left, Hart said he wouldn’t be surprised to see Collins suiting up at the next level.

“He can play somewhere, no doubt about that,” Hart said. “He has the mentality to do that. He knows what it takes. I think his grades are going to be good for him and he keeps up with his academics. He has a chance, it is up to him what he wants to do with it. God has given him the ability and a good work ethic.”

After finishing 7-4 last season, Collins has high hopes for Franklin County this season, and said just a small adjustment will turn things in their favor.

“We have a good first three quarters and come to the fourth quarter tired and sluggish,” he said. “But if we finish in the fourth quarter, we are going to have a great year.”