Last spring, Dylan Collie established himself as a go-to receiver … of questions from reporters covering the University of Hawaii football team.

Engaging and polite — and, perhaps most importantly, optimistic — Collie was a resource for sound bites or quotes about why Hawaii would finally win in 2015 after four losing seasons in a row.

He was no typical freshman. Collie had already redshirted and served a two-year mission, making him as old as some seniors. Plus, he has two brothers who played in the NFL.

It didn’t matter that he hadn’t been around for any of the 29 losses in three years with Norm Chow as coach or had yet to play a down in a college football game. Collie had become a team spokesman as a freshman. Part of it was also due to him catching everything thrown his way, and then some, in practice.

The prevailing narrative was that Collie’s longtime family and personal link to Chow facilitated a good prospect transferring from BYU.

But in the fall, when the losing resumed en route to a 3-10 record, for some Collie became a scapegoat by association. With Chow clearly on his way out, anonymous keyboard commandos tried to spin the connection into a negative.

Most college players choose not to speak for the record about their coach being on the hot seat. But Collie was not afraid to remain loyal. He continued publicly voicing support for Chow, as an already unpopular stance continually became more so.

“It kills me. I love that man,” he said, shortly before the coach was fired.

When the normally sure-handed Collie suffered some untimely drops in Hawaii’s first game post-Chow, a 41-21 loss at UNLV, it created an opening for the more vicious dimwits. Trolls spewed mean-spirited suggestions that Collie follow Chow to the exit.

He had the good sense to ignore the garbage. He’s still here, excited to help rebuild.

“Absolutely,” Collie said after Tuesday’s first spring practice under new coach Nick Rolovich. “No place I’d rather be. … I based my decision on my faith. It’s kept me here from the beginning.

“As soon as Rolo came and started talking about defending Pride Rock, I was sold.”

The 5-foot-10, 175-pound Collie might even have more of a role in the new offense. It is described as hybrid, but will employ many of the run-and-shoot principles UH enjoyed success with when Rolovich was quarterback and later offensive coordinator. The schemes helped smaller receivers — including new passing game coordinator Craig Stutzmann — thrive as slots.

“Good,” Stutzmann said of Collie’s performance Tuesday. “He’s scrappy.”

Collie was third on the team with 29 catches and 342 yards and scored one touchdown in 2015. He said the new staff will improve all of the receivers.

“(Receivers coach Kefense) Hynson, Stutzmann, Rolo. Combined, they are a force to be reckoned with,” Collie said.

And there’s no way he will ever forget the coach who brought him to Hawaii.

“I’ve talked to (Chow) a few times (since the coaching change),” Collie said. “I’ve had a relationship with him from the time I was a little kid — that doesn’t stop now. He will always be a mentor to me.”

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. His blog is at Hawaiiwarriorworld.com/quick-reads.