CORVALLIS -- The Seth Collins saga has taken another turn.



And this time, it's a positive spin for Oregon State.



The sophomore who had announced he would transfer from OSU to Northern Illinois to play quarterback earlier this year will instead return to the Beavers as a receiver, the school announced Monday afternoon.



"I'm very humbled that my teammates and coaches have provided me the opportunity to rejoin the team," Collins said in a release. "Coach (Gary) Andersen did not always agree with the direction that I was headed during this process, but was always there to talk and support me as a person first.



"I've grown tremendously as a person since I arrived in Corvallis and I can't wait to put on the pads and represent Beaver Nation the best way possible."



Collins is still enrolled and on scholarship at OSU and had attended multiple spring practices this month. He will not participate in any of the remaining workouts this spring, Andersen said in a release, but "is back in the weight room completing the winter conditioning cycle." Collins had signed a financial aid agreement with Northern Illinois, which is non-binding.



"We have a plan that will take place over the next few months for Seth to earn his way back in the mainstream of our program," Andersen said. "He is fully prepared to accept the responsibility and make up for the time he has missed."



Attempts to reach Collins' family and Northern Illinois coach Rod Carey for comment were unsuccessful on Monday.



Collins adds an electrifying weapon to OSU's offense following an up-and-down true freshman season, where he often dazzled with his athleticism and fiery, competitive demeanor but was erratic with his arm. He started OSU's first six games at quarterback, completing 52.2 percent of his passes for 936 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions while leading the team in rushing with 580 yards and eight scores.



By an Oct. 24 contest against Colorado, Collins was sharing time behind center with Nick Mitchell (who has since transferred to Division II's Dixie State), a tandem Andersen said the Beavers planned to maintain during the second half of the season. But a "freak" hyperextended knee Collins sustained while backpedaling before a practice forced him to miss the Beavers' next four games, an injury Andersen once indicated would cause Collins to miss the rest of the season.



Yet Collins returned for the Civil War in a multidimensional offensive role that saw him line up at receiver, running back and quarterback while tallying three rushing touchdowns and 45 passing yards. After the season, co-offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven said the Beavers planned to continue using Collins in that way in 2016, before the school announced in late January that he intended to transfer.



"It seems like the best formula, in terms of his talent," McGiven said in December, "is to be able move him around to different spots and make it a situation where the defense can't necessarily key in on where he's gonna be."



Northern Illinois may have offered Collins the chance to continue as a quarterback. But he also would have needed to sit out a year due to NCAA transfer rules, before competing for playing time at a non-Power 5 school. Additionally, Collins' sister, Devin, is a sprinter for OSU's track and field team, and Corvallis is closer to his hometown of El Cajon, Calif.



So Collins will re-join an OSU receiving corps that already returns starters Victor Bolden, Jordan Villamin and Hunter Jarmon, along with reserves Rahmel Dockery, Xavier Hawkins and Paul Lucas (who will also play running back). Junior college transfer Timmy Hernandez and early enrollee Trevon Bradford have joined the mix for spring practice, while freshman Tyson Penn will arrive for fall camp.



Currently competing to be OSU's starting quarterback in 2016, meanwhile, are Utah State transfer Darell Garretson, sophomore Marcus McMaryion and early enrollee Mason Moran. Junior college transfer Daniel Prieto will join the program this summer.



Collins has not even begun his sophomore season, and his college career has already featured a slew of twists and turns.



The latest leads him right back to Corvallis.



"The reason we do what we do is to build young men off and on the field, supporting them and preparing them for the future," Andersen said in a release. "Sometimes they do not always make decisions we agree with, but these can be times of growth for the individual.



"The return of Seth to our program is a decision supported by the leaders of this team, our coaching staff and myself ... It's important to note that since arriving at Oregon State, he has been an excellent student and has had zero off-the-field issues."



-- Gina Mizell | @ginamizell