VALDOSTA —
Valdosta State's newest football player, senior cornerback Greg Reid, is not likely to play Saturday in the Blazers' season opener against Saginaw Valley State, according to head coach David Dean.
“If I had a guess, I'd say no,” said Dean of the status of the two-time Region 1-AAAAA Player of the Year with the Lowndes Vikings. “If you ask him, yes, he is going to play. It is just going to depend on what the doctor says, but I wouldn't count on it.”
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, injured his knee 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.
Now, the injury seems much worse.
“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 was a non-contact deal. He was running down the field and plants and kind of tweaked his knee a little bit. We will find out a little more about him. He went for an MRI (Monday) and he was going to meet with the doctors this afternoon. So we'll find out how he is.”
Reid was not in attendance at VSU's practice Tuesday, thus making him unavailable to media. He did send out a string of tweets earlier in the day.
“This has been tough for me.!!... I can't quit,” one of Reid's tweets read. “So many blessing came thru my life... Just hope They haven't ran out,” another tweet read.
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's status for Saturday, and possibly future games, in doubt, 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. If we have him, and he is able to play, great, but if not, I feel pretty good with the guys we’ve got.”
A long-term injury to Reid’s knee would likely end his opportunity for a redemption season before it ever really got started with the Blazers. 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.
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Greg Reid returns a punt during Valdosta State’s scrimmage on Friday. Ed Hooper | The Valdosta Daily Times
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Greg Reid not likely to play Saturday
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