"I think I'm a lot faster than the clock showed that one day," Collie said. "You can look at guys running on the track, see them in the Olympics, and they get beat. It just wasn't their day. It just wasn't there. Same thing that happened to me, plus I was 10 pounds heavier."

Indeed, back in high school, when Collie was timed at a combine hosted by Rivals.com, he weighed 190 pounds and was clocked on the record at 4.49 seconds for 40 yards.

Game speed versus clock speed. Does it matter?

Tight end Dennis Pitta, who also is having a sensational junior year, believes there is a difference.

"I do think that it's a little different once you put pads on. Some guys who can flat out run when you have shorts on and they're flying down the field, but it's a whole new game when you put pads on," said Pitta.

"And some buys know how to handle it better. Some guys are able to control it better. Austin is one of those guys who might not have one of the most impressive times off the field, but once he straps it on, he's one of the fastest guys on the field. It's evident when he plays."

---

E-mail: dharmon@desnews.com