Ed Reed played his last game as a Miami Hurricane in 2001, when the Hurricanes were on top of the college football world. Now, Reed is returning to Miami in a new role as chief of staff, in hopes of helping bring Miami back to the top.
Reed spoke to the media for the first time since joining the staff, and explained exactly what his role will be.
“I’m not in the position that people think I’m in,” Reed said. “I’m not hiring, I’m not firing. I’m just coming here to help, as I did in ‘97. I’m a piece of this puzzle, as all the coaches are, as all the players are. I’m limited on what I can do. I can’t be on the field coaching. I am here to mentor and help these kids, to better themselves during football and after football, that’s what it’s about. I’m here to assist coach Manny and everything he needs. I’m his right hand.”
Diaz emphasized how important it will be for Reed to provide advice and mentor players.
“Our chief of staff position is a position that went unfilled,” Diaz said. “This became a role that I felt like became very important. That is a job that is going to serve as a sound board and kind of come up to me and say ‘I’m not liking the body language of this guy.’ You are not in that direct role of being on the coaching staff. There are so many things that make him unique. His ability to understand team dynamics, team culture, it’s second to none.”
When asked if he was coming back because of the Hurricanes 6-7 record last season, he made it clear that the University of Miami and its football program is something very important to him.
“I’m always orange and green, that’s in my heart, that’s in my blood. Once you become part of this university, you want to do anything or everything for it,” Reed said.
Reed also said that his life was changed by his coaches during his time at Miami, and now he wants to do the same for the current generation of Hurricanes. The former safety wants to be an example for the players.
“I’m from a small town in Louisiana where kids don’t have the structure to be successful in life. Yes, I’ve become a hall of famer on every level, college, high school and pros, so that has helped me to be a light and a role model for a lot of kids that follow in our footsteps. We are here to transform lives. My life was transformed when I came here by the great coaching staff.”
Reed played under former head coaches Butch Davis and Larry Coker, who lead Miami to a national championship victory in 2001, which is the last national championship the Hurricanes have won.
“Everybody talk about the 2001 national championship team but no one talks about the coaches, Larry Coker being one of those guys,” Reed said. “They were men raising young men. So, that’s what I’m excited to be a part of.”
Reed also explained that while he is fully committed to helping the Hurricanes, he is not going to uproot his life and his family to be in Miami all the time.
“I have an 11-year old son,” Reed said. “The first thing that Manny said when we talked about this job was that he didn’t want me to stop doing the things that I am already doing. He wants me to be around as much as possible. My son lives in Georgia and when he was born I relocated to be close to him. I won’t be here 365 days a year, but when I am not doing other things that I have to do, my priority is Miami.”
The Hurricanes are set to hold their first spring practice on Feb. 29.