McCollum not emotional about reunion

The Jackets’ assistant coach reunion tour continues this week as defensive line coach Andy McCollum prepares to square off against the team, Middle Tennessee State, for which he was once head coach. Last Saturday, former Virginia coach Al Groh was on the winning side (Tech’s) in a similar game. Having been an assistant at MTSU from 1981-88, and then returning to serve as head coach from 1999-2005, McCollum still knows plenty about the school’s traditions. But he said Saturday’s game will not be a big deal in large part because he’s been away longer than Groh. Virginia fired Groh after last season, and he was hired a Tech within a couple months. McCollum was a scout with the NFL’s Titans for a year after he ran up a record of 34-43 at MTSU. He then spent three years as linebackers coach at N.C. State (that reunion already happened). “I knew this day would come,” McCollum said. “I’m just excited to get our guys ready. There are a lot of memories. Middle …