June 15, 2011
="" alt="Knight Head" border="0" class="imported"> Read John Denton's Knights Insider | ="" alt="Twitter Logo" border="0" class="imported">Follow us on Twitter | ="" alt="Facebook Logo" border="0" class="imported">Get social with the Knights on Facebook
By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Looking trim in a spandex workout shirt and fresh off preparing for what will eventually be his first NFL season, Jah Reid wonders where he'd be in life now had he not had the opportunity to play football at UCF and under the guidance of coach George O'Leary.
Once more than 370 pounds and unwanted by colleges coming out of Haines City High School, Reid transformed his body and his mentality at UCF, the only school to offer him a scholarship. With the Knights, the 6-foot-7 offensive tackle trimmed down to a muscular 324 pounds, was twice named to Conference USA's first-team squad and worked himself into becoming a pro prospect. And he realized a dream come true last month when he was a third-round selection (85th overall) in the NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens.
None of it - the dramatic weight loss, the college success and the selection in the NFL Draft - would have been possible without what he learned and endured in UCF's football program, Reid said.
``UCF was the only school to give me an offer and I was overweight at the time. They got me into shape and gave me time to develop and where I am today I totally owe it to UCF,'' said Reid, following a workout this week at the UCF football headquarters. ``Coach O'Leary and all of the coaches here saw something in me and they were able to help me. I'm so thankful for that and I can't think of a better place for kids to go to school and play football than UCF. They bring players in to make them better and that's exactly what they did for me here.''
Redshirting his true freshman season while he worked to slim down and tone his body, Reid ultimately blossomed as the anchor of UCF's offensive line. He played in 43 games in his UCF career, starting 37. His move to the right side of the line helped give the Knights a dominant rushing attack, and UCF became one of only two teams in the country this past season with three players with at least 10 rushing touchdowns (Jeff Godfrey, Latavius Murray and Ronnie Weaver).
But Reid said that as much as he developed as a player at UCF, he matured even more so as a person under the guidance of O'Leary. Reid said that in addition to learning the values of hard work and sacrifice, players at UCF are taught accountability and responsibility. Those are lessons that Reid will take with him the rest of his life well beyond his NFL career, he said. He added that O'Leary's no-nonsense, old school style of coaching was good for him and taught him toughness and discipline.
``O'Leary brings you in to turn you into a man and that's what he did with me,'' Reid said. ``He teaches you responsibility, about doing the right things and about being responsible for your actions. And it's not just for playing football at the next level; it's for life.''
Reid is somewhat in limbo because of the lockout between the NFL Players Association and the owners. Because he was picked after the lockout went back into effect, Reid has had no contact with his new Ravens coaches after draft night and he's met very few of his new teammates. He has yet to receive a Ravens' playbook and has no clue as to when training camp or the season will begin.
To pass the time and stay in shape, Reid is usually on campus several times a week, working out with his former Knights teammates and waiting to start his career in professional football.
``When I went to visit the Ravens (before the draft), there was a lockout and there weren't any players there, and since then they have been tight about the playbooks. But luckily the system that we run at UCF is very similar to what they run there so that should help me out a lot,'' Reid said. ``It's a weird time right now with the lockout, but UCF let me come back and use the facilities and work out and stay in shape. I'm just trying to be as ready as I can when this lockout is over. I'm working out five days a week for a couple of hours a day and I'm still working with coach (Ed) Ellis and coach (Scott) Sinclair.''
Lockout or not, Reid said he the uncertainty hasn't clouded the elation that he's felt by reaching a lifelong dream of getting drafted into the NFL. Knowing how far he evolved over the past five years, he said, just makes him want to work even harder to take advantage of this opportunity.
``It's amazing and absolutely a dream come true for me,'' Reid gushed. ``I've been given this opportunity and it's a blessing for me. I just want to keep working hard and be the best player that I can be.''
And after talking to former UCF lineman Josh Sitton, a member of the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, he knows that having played at UCF will prepare him well for the NFL. He knows that he has the work ethic and discipline to succeed at the next level after having thrived in O'Leary's program at UCF.
``I've heard that from other guys that UCF prepares you well because of the tight ship that we run around here,'' Reid said. ``We're always at meetings 15 minutes early, our playbook is pretty advanced and the respect that everybody here shows helps, too. I really think that it will carry over to the NFL, keep me on the right track and help me to be successful.''
John Denton's Knights Insider appears on UCFAthletics.com several times a week. E-mail John at jdenton@athletics.ucf.edu.