Clemson coach Mike Reed has 2 new job titles, 2 new starters and 1 surprise from Dabo
Almost in the same breath, Mike Reed likened himself to an old, rusty dog and a dinosaur.
He’s going on his 10th year as Clemson’s cornerbacks coach — and added the assistant head coach title and special teams coordinator role to his job responsibilities this offseason.
With the Tigers going through a unique past few months of coaching turnover, Reed is among the team’s longest-tenured assistant coaches along with offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter. The former Clemson signal caller had been the quarterbacks coach for eight years prior to his promotion.
“Ain’t many DB coaches at an institution more than five years,” Reed said. “I mean, it’s crazy, so I count my blessings every day. I must be doing something right.”
The Boston College graduate first arrived at Clemson as the defensive backs coach following his final season at N.C. State in 2012. In 2017, he moved to just handle cornerbacks when Mickey Conn came in to coach the safeties. Now, Reed holds two more titles, earning the assistant head coach tag after former defensive tackles coach Todd Bates and former defensive coordinator Brent Venables left for Oklahoma.
Reed might be a dinosaur and an old, rusty dog in the grand scheme of the college football landscape, but his approach to coaching has worked. He’s sent guys like A.J. Terrell, Mackensie Alexander and Trayvon Mullen to the NFL, with two more pro football hopefuls in Andrew Booth and Mario Goodrich pending.
Reed said he was surprised when Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney named him the assistant head coach, but welcomes the opportunity to be groomed for a head coaching job one day. That’s not to say he’s planning to head his own program any time soon, though.
After being rumored to have been up for the defensive backs coach position at Georgia during the offseason, Reed made it clear he’s perfectly content where he is.
“I don’t know if I’m ready for it,” Reed said about potentially becoming a head coach. “I love what I do and I love being with my kids. When I say my kids, I mean, my players. So for me, it’s a great situation to be in, for a coach to recognize me and see those qualities in me. Some people don’t, but (Swinney) does.”
Rising senior cornerback Sheridan Jones hasn’t seen much of a change in Reed juggling multiple responsibilities so far. What he can attest to, though, is how his and Reed’s relationship has developed over the years.
“He’s gotten more comfortable talking to us, just gaining that relationship with him,” Jones said. “We’ve got way closer since my freshman year.”
That relationship between the two will be especially important this season. Much like Reed is among the coaches, Jones is the veteran of the cornerbacks room with Goodrich and Booth gone. Both Reed and Swinney have already seen those leadership qualities in Jones. He just has to be more vocal in helping some of the younger guys along — whether good or bad feedback — and he knows that.
While Jones is the elder statesman and seems to have unofficially locked up one of the top corner spots, Reed didn’t name anyone officially as a starter. The competition is wide open with incoming players in contention such as midyear enrollees Toriano Pride, who Reed lauded as the typical corner, and Jeadyn Lukus, who’s been limited by a shoulder injury.
“I don’t recruit kids to come sit on the bench,” Reed said. “Heck, I’m 50 years old. I’m not promised tomorrow. I want to see them play. If you’re a corner out there and you want to play, then you want to come to Clemson because you’re gonna play. All I ask you to do is be coachable, give me good effort and be tough. More than likely you’re going to play out here.”
Before his dog and dinosaur metaphor, Reed compared himself to a true soldier. After 10 years at Clemson, he’s one who’s moved up the ranks and is looking forward to leading his promising platoon for another season.
“I’m here to the end,” he said. “When the last bullet’s fired, coach Reed’s still there.”
