VALDOSTA —
Greg Reid remains uncommitted to a new college football program following his dismissal and release from Florida State University. But the two-time Region 1-AAAAA Player of the Year has given a glimpse of where he could be heading.
Reid made an appearance at Valdosta State University’s football practice Thursday morning and spoke with head coach David Dean following the practice.
When asked if Reid was a member of the Valdosta State football team on Thursday evening, Dean gave a definitive “no” response. When asked if Reid will be a member in the near future, Dean said he didn’t know, but the team would welcome him.
“I don’t know. I really feel bad for (Greg),” Dean said. “Today was the first day I had an opportunity to talk with him and he is still in shock, I think, about what took place. There are still a lot of questions that he has to still answer. From our standpoint, from a Valdosta State University standpoint, we are giving him time to answer those questions. We don’t want to put pressure on him.
“The thing I want to do for Greg Reid, and yes, I’d love to have him as part of this football team, but the main thing he needs to do is make the right decision for Greg Reid,” Dean said. “We are not going to put pressure on him and we are going to let him make the situation he needs to make.”
Thursday’s split-squad practices at VSU were closed to media and fans, but Dean said that wasn’t because Reid was in attendance. Dean said practice on Thursday was closed because the team was implementing new schemes.
“We were putting in some new formations,” Dean said. “When you get guys out here, they ask ‘what is that you’re doing?’ and obviously we didn’t want to get that out there.
“There was this rumor that we closed it because of a certain guy — he was here, he stopped by – but that had nothing to do with it,” Dean continued.”
When Reid was present at practice on Thursday, Dean said practice went on as usual and that he was not a distraction to the team.
“Nobody went over to shake his hands or anything like that,” Dean said. “Our guys have the mentality that if you come in here from a Division I program, you are going to have to prove yourself, and that is always the way it has been.”
Dean did mention that several members of the team have previous relationships with Reid and that many have shown interest in Reid joining the team.
“Our players are excited about the possibility of him joining our team,” Dean said. “Several of them have expressed interest...They know how good of a football player he is. So our kids would embrace it and I think they are going to be excited about a guy like that joining our football team, if in fact it does happen.”
Reid has been released from the Florida State football team and is eligible to sign with any program, although Thursday’s meeting at VSU was the first known indication of where he possibly could land.
“We said ‘if this is something that you want to look at, we encourage you to come out here and look,’” Dean said. “He still thought we were practicing at Reames Field. That just kind of gives you an indication of why we told him to come out here and see what we have.
“I did not pressure him into making a decision,” Dean continued. “I did not pressure him into telling me on who he thinking about going to. He obviously has interest in going here.”
Regardless of the status of Reid, the Blazers begin full-contact drills today with their first full-team practice of the season. For a preview of today’s practice and a list of players that have caught Dean’s eye through the first four days of practice, visit www.blazersportsbeat.com.
Local Sports
Greg Reid shows interest in VSU
Blazers head coach says he’d welcome former Seminole
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