VALDOSTA —
Valdosta State head coach David Dean confirmed Wednesday morning on a local radio program that cornerback Greg Reid will miss the entire 2012 season with a torn Anterior Crucitate Ligament (ACL).
On Tuesday, Dean told The Times he thought Reid would miss the first game due to his injury, but did not know the severity of the injury until later that night.
The former Florida State cornerback and punt returner, who joined the Blazers Aug. 14 after being dismissed from the Seminoles' football team for violating team rules, tore his ACL while returning a punt in the Blazers' final preseason scrimmage on Friday. He went to the ground after attempting to shake a tackler while returning a punt down the sideline.
He was seen hobbling off the field after getting up from the ground. Valdosta State medical personnel escorted Reid to the medical training room, where he later reappeared with his knee heavily iced and taped.Initially, the injury was believed to be minor, as Reid was seen jogging off the field with his teammates Friday night.It was later learned that he tore his ACL.
"It is frustrating right now," Dean said. "He came into camp a little late and he gets injured. I know he is frustrated about it. It is was a non-contact deal."
"Ion even know what to say... Or do?!! I never asked for all this all I wanted was to play football," Reid said in a tweet Wednesday morning.
Reid was expected to start for the Blazers Saturday when they open their season at Saginaw Valley State. He was also in contention to be the starting punt returner, a job that will now go back to last year’s returner, Quin Roberson.
With senior Alex Webster suspended for the first two games of the 2012 season, and Reid out for the season, juniors Dominique Wheeler and Manny Evans will join preseason All-American Matt Pierce in the secondary.
"Dominique Wheeler, Matt Evans and Matt Pierce are all three good corners," Dean said. "I feel like we have got good secondary players. We would love to have Greg playing, he is a special-type player. But, we were going into the season without him. So that was just icing on the cake and now somebody has taken our icing from us. So we are going back with the guys that we had."
Reid’s knee injury ends his opportunity for a redemption season before is ever really got started with the Blazers; a season that Reid was looking to prove that he could return to his hometown after his dismissal from Florida State and compete at a high-level while managing to stay clear of any off-the-field trouble that followed him around when he was with the Seminoles.
