All-America Watch: Reed relies on home lessons
Associated Press
ATHENS — J.R. Reed plays for one of the nation’s powerhouse programs, where the competition begins as soon as you step on campus. No problem.
Family time prepared him well for what it took to earn a starting job in Georgia’s secondary.
“That’s where I found the love and passion for sports, no matter what it is,” Reed said, giving credit to his mother, father and sister. “I can be playing checkers around the house with my family. Everyone’s going to compete, everyone’s going to work hard. We can be playing Connect Four, we’re going to compete at that. It doesn’t matter how big or how small the game is, we’re going to compete.” That’s really not surprising. His father, Jake Reed, played a dozen seasons in the NFL as a receiver for the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints. He retired in 2002 with 450 receptions, 6,999 yards and 36 touchdowns.
Now, his son is trying to keep other guys from catching the ball. J.R. Reed is one of the defensive leaders for the third-ranked Bulldogs, who face No. 7 Notre Dame on Saturday night in a game that could have ramifications all the way to the College Football Playoff.
Since transferring from Tulsa, Reed has started 32 consecutive games at safety, showing a nose for the football (four interceptions, two fumble returns for touchdowns) and a hard-hitting style that has made him one of the team’s leading tacklers each of the past three seasons.
But the 6-foot-1, 194-pound native of Frisco, Texas, really shines in practice, in the meeting rooms and away from the field.
“A very good leader. Works very hard, extremely hard,” tight end Eli Wolf said. “And super smart. He anticipates super well. A hard guy to get off of in coverage. I think he’s a very integral part of the defense here.”
Reed started at Tulsa, where he didn’t make much of an impact in his freshman season (five tackles, one pass breakup). Then, in what seemed a bizarre twist given his lack of playing time at an American Athletic Conference school, he decided to transfer to Georgia after the 2015 season.
Kirby Smart had just arrived as coach. He immediately took notice of the obscure transfer who had to sit out a season before he was eligible to play in the mighty Southeastern Conference.
“You get the best of J.R. every day at practice,” Smart said. “J.R. doesn’t take a day off — and that was when he was not even eligible to play. I mean, he was a really hard worker, and that jumped out at you.”
Turns out, Reed’s timing was impeccable.
He claimed a starting job as a redshirt sophomore just as Georgia was returning to national prominence. Reed led the team with nine tackles along with two quarterback hurries in a breakthrough win at Notre Dame. He blocked a field goal against Samford. He scooped up a fumble and returned it for a TD against rival Florida. He made seven tackles in a thrilling Rose Bowl victory over Oklahoma.
Reed was selected to the All-SEC second team as the Bulldogs won their first conference title since 2005 and made it all the way to the national championship game, losing an overtime heartbreaker to Alabama.
Following a strong performance at the Big Peach Mustang Stampede last Saturday, Sept. 14, Felipe Barrios was name the boys 3A runner of the week by GA Milesplit (ga.milesplit.com). Barrios completed the course with a time of 16:57, placing 5th overall against a field of schools ranging in size from 3A-7A. Calhoun’s Felipe Barrios at the Big Peach Mustang Stampede on Saturday, Sept. 14.