Sept. 30, 2009
By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
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When you're 6-foot-7, expectations are always, well, bigger.
Jah Reid, all 6-foot-7, 314 pounds of him, has dealt with those expectations his whole life. It's not enough that he's simply a solid starting tackle for UCF's football team. No, the expectations demand that he be dominant, smothering and, well, larger than life. His ceiling, because of his awesome physical tools doesn't stop at possibly being an all-conference performer. Instead, his options could extend as high as the NFL if he ever fulfills his enormous potential.
``I try not to let it affect me, but those expectations are always there,'' said Reid, as UCF (2-2) prepares for Saturday's home game against Memphis (1-3). ``I just try to go out and dominate my opponent. They want me to be a crucial person along our offensive line and I want to try and live up to that. My goal is to be as good as people expect me to be.''
From the day he signed with UCF, Reid has been looked to be an anchor along the Knights offensive line. But his development into the player he is today - one head coach George O'Leary said has played the best among the offensive linemen through four games - has been a work in process.
Reid, a Haines City native, red-shirted his first year on campus and then spent time as a freshman on the kick protection team and as a spot starter at right tackle. He was in and out of the starting lineup last season before finally blossoming into a consistent force at right tackle this season for the Knights. Reid's teammates, the individuals who have closely watched his development, are amazed at the steps he's made.
``From two years ago to now, Jah has been the person going through the biggest metamorphosis of anyone,'' senior guard Cliff McCray said. ``He's made great strides and he really helps me out now by seeing things and making calls. He sees things not from a two-degree level anymore, but also into the secondary now for our blocks. He's become a great player.''
Great, to an extent, but there's always a push for more greatness, more domination when the athlete is as physically gifted as Reid. With his size, he was not only expected to play football, but he was expected to dominate. There is no blending in when you're a head taller than the rest of your teammates, and sometimes the weight of the expectations wore on the soft-spoken Reid.
``It's motivated me my whole life and I try not to let it bring me down on my bad days,'' Reid said candidly. ``People look to me to use my size to my advantage, and it's just up to me to perform the way that I'm fully capable.''
O'Leary and line coach Brent Key have worked with Reid on being more aggressive, specifically delivering a blow before a defensive lineman or linebacker hits him. Coaches have worked hard with Reid to use his hands and his arm length more because he can keep opponents at bay with his enormous range.
``He's a 6-7, 315-pound guy who has a long reach and sometimes he lets people get into his body too much,'' O'Leary said. ``There's a difference between bench press and push-ups and I hate seeing their elbows outside their body on contact. That's a habit he has to break. But Jah's working hard at it.''
O'Leary has been quite pleased with how Reid has progressed, calling him one of UCF's best, most consistent linemen this season. But consistent just won't do when you're 6-foot-7 and 315 pounds. O'Leary expects more, as do all of Reid's teammates.
``I think Jah has played pretty well. He really puts a (helmet) on people,'' O'Leary said. ``But I don't think he's played anything close to his best game yet. He should be a dominant player at that size and athletic ability. Sometimes he feels his way through things and has to be more aggressive.''
Reid hopes that continued improvement and more strength combined with his raw physical tools will someday allow him to play professionally. But for now, he's focused on helping UCF better its 21-point-a-game and 95-yard-a-game averages.
``My play can always get better. I'm working really hard to get better, but it's never perfect,'' he said. ``I've learned to use my hands and get a punch to get separation between myself and the defender. I think I'm getting better at it, but I still need a lot of work to keep improving. I'm seeing improvement. I feel like I'm getting better week to week.''
John Denton's Knights Insider runs each Monday, Wednesday and Friday on UCFAthletics.com. E-mail John at jdenton@athletics.ucf.edu.