Michael Reed is stepping up in a big way for the BYU football team this year.
In his final season at BYU, the Texas native is setting a standard at reaching his potential taught to him by former BYU athletes and family members alike. The 6-1 wide receiver is making a big impact for the BYU offense thanks to contributions from the likes of his
cousin, Utah starting quarterback Brian Johnson.
And Reed is from the same town of Baytown, Texas where his friend Archie Rose transferred from the local junior college to play basketball at BYU.
The polite yes, sir; no, sir-speaking Reed is a 2008 All- Mountain West candidate looking to improve on an outstanding 2007 campaign, in which he had 41 receptions and four touchdowns.
One of those 41 catches is the cover shot for the 2008 BYU Athletic Calendar, a nine-yard TD reception against Colorado State at LaVell Edwards Stadium. The six-foot-one, 202-pound senior has had a couple occasions to autograph that shot on BYU calendars for fans, but his focus is mainly on the field and balls thrown by quarterback Max Hall.
“I just want to help the team be better,” Reed said. “This team has the chance to accomplish some special things. We can do it if we want it bad enough. There’s only so much the coaches can teach us about the plays, and then it’s up to us. The sky is the limit with this team.”
Reed totaled at least one touchdown and 21 receptions in all previous three seasons, with a total of eight TDs and 487 receptions coming into 2008. But he is far from satisfied. In his fourth and final season, Reed expects more of himself.
“I’ve been thinking that this is it for me,” he said. “My years at BYU have flown by. I was thinking about the things I’ve accomplished and the things I still need to accomplish. I’ve done well, but I’ve got a lot to prove this year, both to myself, to my teammates, to my family...everybody.”
When asked who have been the most influential people in his life, Reed said that his grandparents have always been there for him.
“My grandparents always taught me to believe in myself, and to put God first. They both played college sports, and they always told me to remember that I’m a student athlete. I could be injured at any time, and football would be over. But if I work hard and get my degree, nobody can take that away.”
An injury did come Reed’s way in the UCLA game and he ended up having his knee scoped. He missed the Wyoming game and the Utah State game, but was able to come back a game earlier than expected.
“They told me I would be back for the TCU game,” said Reed, who looked forward to having many of his Texan relatives watch last week’s game. “But I was able to come back for the New Mexico game.”
Missing the Wyoming game was tough since he had three receptions the past two years against the Cowboys, including a 10-yard TD catch at Laramie last year and a 33-yard TD catch falling backwards in the endzone in Provo during 2006.
Instead of being at the Wyoming game, he was at his apartment in Provo recuperating from his knee surgery. He was able to be on the sidelines out of uniform at the Utah State game.
During the bye week before Utah State, Reed was able to return to Baytown and got to personally access the damage caused by Hurricane Ike, like some minimal flooding at his home.
“It wasn’t as bad as it could have been, so my family has been fortunate,” Reed told the BYU Daily Universe days after the hurricane came through. “They were without lights for a while. There are a few grocery stores that just opened back up, but they only allow about five people in at a time, so it takes a while to get food and everything. The important thing is that everyone is OK.”
A former peewee quarterback in Baytown, football has always been a part of Reed’s life.
“I wanted to play college football since the first time I touched a football...since I could walk. It’s always been a part of my life. Other than playing quarterback and safety at the peewee level, I’ve always been a receiver. That’s just where I fit. I like to get the ball, but I also enjoy blocking downfield for my teammates.”
Known as a tough receiver who’s not afraid to go over the middle and often makes spectacular catches, Reed has become a consistent target of Hall during the stretch last season, as well as during spring and fall camps.
“Michael Reed is a special part of our team,” said Coach Bronco Mendenhall. “Just seeing the way that he has worked and improved makes me proud. He is a great example of what we want this program to represent, both on and off the field. The work ethic that he brings to every practice is a large part of why Michael has developed into the player that you see today.”
BYU offensive coordinator Robert Anae told the BYU Daily Universe of Reed: “Mike works extremely hard. There’s nothing finesse about him--he’s just big and tough and physical. You don’t want finesse receivers running around and avoiding things, so it’s good to have him out there for us.
“He brings steadiness and balance to our team. His presence was missed when he was out with his injury.”
Before coming to BYU, Reed was the Texas 5-A Receiver of the year, earning first team all-district, all-state and All-Greater Houston honors at Robert E. Lee High School as a junior and senior. During his senior season he grabbed 65 catches for a whopping 16 touchdowns.
Football runs in the Reed family. His grandfather played at Prairie View A&M, while several of his cousins have gone on to play college football as well. One of his cousins plays just up I-15, Utah starting quarterback Brian Johnson. Johnson was Reed’s quarterback at Lee High School.
“Brian and I keep in touch. I usually see him around when we’re back home, and we talk a couple times a month. Of course, I kind of have one up on him right now. We give each other a hard time (about the rivalry) a little bit.”
Another connection Reed has in Utah is senior BYU basketball guard Archie Rose. Rose played at Northeastern Colorado Junior College (Sterling, Colo.) then transferred to Lee College, a junior college in Baytown where Rose redshirted in 2006-07.
Reed nearly had his mind made up to come to BYU, but took unofficial visits to the University of Texas, Texas A & M, the University of Houston and the University of Pittsburgh.
Originally recruited by former BYU head coach Gary Crowton, Reed is one of the lingering players who has played under both coaches.
“Coach Crowton was really a good coach, and I enjoyed playing under him, “Reed Said. “But there was a big change when Coach Mendenhall came. He focused on team unity, and on serving. He taught us about the tradition here, and told us that losing was not what we were here for.
“I’ve really had a chance to meet a lot of the legends here. Before coming here, I knew about the big names, like Young, McMahon and Chad Lewis, but I’ve learned that there is a lot more tradition here than I had previously realized.”
Fresh off of a senior campaign in high school where he was named the 5A receiver of the year in Texas, Reed arrived in Provo during the turbulent fall of 2004.
“Transitioning from high school to college ball is always a big jump,” Reed said. “You go from being a star to just making it through practice. You just have to keep things in perspective.”
After talking with the coaches, Reed made the decision to redshirt the 2004 season.
“That was a huge learning experience for me,” Reed said. “It was so tough at the time, but looking back, I can see how much I’ve grown from having to go through that. I think that redshirting my first year is one of the things that has put me in the position that I’m in today.
“I had help though. My family was there, and one of my favorite Cougar legends, Todd Watkins. He basically mentored me. He told me where to go, how to get things done. He was a huge help to me...you could say that I relied on him quite a bit those first couple of years. We still talk at least three times a week now. Even now with the (Oakland) Raiders, he’s still keeping in touch with me, kind of cheering me on. He’s one of my best friends.”
Despite the growing expectations on the field, Reed has managed to keep things in perspective. After BYU’s 17-16 win over UCLA in the Las Vegas Bowl last December, Reed took the chance to go home to Baytown.
“Going home last year gave me the chance to do some thinking. I know that I’m lucky to be able to play college football. I just want to thank God for the opportunity to play at BYU.
“Given the chance to decide to come to BYU again, I’d do it in a heartbeat. This (playing at BYU) has been one of the best experiences of my life. I’m going to take advantage of my last season, and help this team to win another (Mountain West Conference) championship. Like Coach always says, everything else will come along after that.”
When asked what kind of a legacy he wants to leave at BYU, Reed has a ready response.
“I want to do what Todd (Watkins) did for me. I’ve told some of the younger guys that I spend time with, like O’Neill (Chambers) and G (Pittman), I’m not changing my number when I’m gone. Hopefully I’ll be able to make that jump to the next level, and I want to help them in any way I can.
“I want the young guys to know that even though BYU is academically rigorous, they can get it done if they just put in the time, and keep on top of things. The team is your family here. Don’t waste time. I’d like to be remembered as a receiver who blocked for his teammates downfield, and wasn’t afraid to go across the middle after a ball.”
ANY WAY YOU “READ” REED
Try getting a foreigner to properly enunciate this sentence: Would you like to read the red book I read last week?
You can see there is a lot of confusion for a non-English speaker to learn the nuances of our language. Look at the name Michael Reed, depending on how you spell it, and there’s a similar amount of confusion.
Once Reed thought he heard his name over the stadium public address when UCLA came to Provo last month, but it was Bruin offensive center Micah Reed. Cougar fans did hear Michael Reed’s name at least five times when he caught passes for 90 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown against UCLA.
In addition to BYU wide receiver Michael Reed, there are two other Michael Reid’s currently enrolled at BYU. There are three others who have attended BYU with the name Michael Reid, six other Michael Reed’s and two other Mike Read’s in the BYU alumni records.
In the state of Utah there are at least 16 other Mike Reed’s, seven other Mike Reid’s and four other Mike Read’s.
In Michael Reed’s home state of Texas, there are 164 others named Michael Reed according to a phone book search. There are also at least 46 Mike Reid’s and 34 Mike Read’s in Texas.
But BYU football’s Michael Reed is following in the footsteps of other Mike Reid’s who were star athletes. Perhaps you are familiar with two other Mike Reid’s.
Mike Reid--a retired NFL defensive lineman and Grammy Award-winning country music singer-songwriter. Reid played for the Cincinnati Bengals and was an All-America in 1969 at Penn State when he won the Outland Trophy.
Mike Reid—an All-American golfer who played for BYU in the 1970s, the PGA and now plays on the senior PGA. The Washington native lives here in Utah Valley and was inducted into the BYU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985.