Fred Reid Explained

Image Upright:1
Birth Date:16 March 1982
Birth Place:Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Team:Ottawa Redblacks
Import:yes
Position1:Running backs coach
Height Ft:5
Height In:10
Weight Lb:185
College:Mississippi State
Playing Team1:Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Playing Years2:2007
Playing Team2:Mississippi MudCats
Playing Team3:Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Coaching Years1:2014–2018
Coaching Team1:Middleton High School
(Head coach)
Coaching Team2:Toronto Argonauts
(Running backs coach)
Coaching Years3:–present
Coaching Team3:Ottawa Redblacks
(Running backs coach)
Career Footnotes:*Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Cfl-Archive:https://web.archive.org/web/20111104161703/http://www.cfl.ca/roster/show?id=1244

Fred Reid (born March 16, 1982) is the running backs coach for the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is a former professional gridiron football running back who played primarily for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He was originally signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Mississippi State.

College career

Reid attended Mississippi State University and in four years of college football he totaled 996 rushing yards on 236 rushing attempts with six touchdowns.[1] He also totaled 44 receptions, 349 receiving yards and two touchdowns. When he graduated he finished as the Southeastern Conference's (SEC) all-time leading kick returner. As a kick returner with the Bulldogs, Reid had 61 returns for 1,303 yards.

As a senior in 2004, Reid helped Sylvester Croom, the first African American head coach in the SEC, win his debut by rushing for 37 yards on 15 carries and one touchdown.[2] During his final season which is considered his best at Mississippi State, Reid had 82 rushes, 393 yards and two touchdowns. Against Maine, he had a career-high 18 rushes for 72 rushing yards.

Professional career

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Coming out of Mississippi State, Reid went undrafted in the 2005 NFL draft and was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers shortly after the draft. He was released by the Buccaneers on June 28, 2005.[3]

Mississippi MudCats

In the spring of 2007, Reid played for the Mississippi MudCats of the American Indoor Football Association.[4]

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

After spending 2006 out of football, upon recommendation from Winnipeg Blue Bombers linebacker Barrin Simpson, Reid was signed by Winnipeg on April 5, 2007. In his first year with the Blue Bombers he played in all 18 regular-season games and rushed for 270 yards on 40 attempts with two touchdowns. Reid got two starts when Charles Roberts was out with injury. In those two starts, Reid ran for 196 yards and two touchdowns. As a kickoff returner, he had 213 yards on nine attempts. He saw playing time in all three of Winnipeg's playoff games including the Grey Cup against Saskatchewan.

In his second year in Winnipeg, Reid totaled 709 yards on 101 rushing attempts and added three touchdowns.[5] He was named an all-star after the season.[6]

After the 2008 season, Reid's contract expired and he became a free agent, however he was re-signed on January 30, 2009.[7] He was expected to share time at running back with Joe Smith in 2009.[8] [9] However, after Lavarus Giles impressed Blue Bombers management, Smith was released,[10] meaning Reid would end up sharing carries with Giles.[11]

On August 21, 2009, Reid set a new Blue Bombers record for rushing in a single game with 260 yards, with the previous record being 249.[12] Reid led the league in rushing during the 2010 CFL season with 1,396 yards.[13] After spending five seasons with the Blue Bombers, he was released on February 27, 2012.[14]

Statistics

Rushing Regular season Receiving
YearTeamNo.YardsAvgLongTDFumbNo.YardsAvgLongTD
2007WPG402706.8020812015.0410
2008WPG1017097.003013967.4220
2009WPG2381,3715.85272211577.5241
2010WPG2131,3966.66163352557.3180
2011WPG1817594.24741221828.3440
Totals77345055.861226998108.2441

Coaching career

Toronto Argonauts

On February 6, 2020, it was announced that Reid had joined the Toronto Argonauts as the team's running backs coach.[15] While the 2020 CFL season was cancelled, Reid continued as a coach for the Argonauts in 2021. He was not retained by the Argonauts following the season.

Ottawa Redblacks

On March 11, 2022, it was announced that Reid had joined the Ottawa Redblacks as the team's running backs coach. The move reunited him with his former Winnipeg head coach, Paul LaPolice.[16]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: #32 Fred Reid . Winnipeg Blue Bombers . bluebombers.com . 2009-06-13 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090412075416/http://www.bluebombers.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=618&Itemid=187 . April 12, 2009 .
  2. News: Croom wins historic debut. https://web.archive.org/web/20170504125005/http://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=242480344. dead. May 4, 2017. September 4, 2004. ESPN.com. 2009-06-13.
  3. News: King grad Reid among five released by Bucs. June 28, 2005. St. Petersburg Times. 2009-06-13.
  4. Web site: Three former Bulldogs sign with Mudcats . Gene Phelps . December 6, 2006 . Daily Journal . djournal.com . August 12, 2015 . March 4, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304083325/http://djournal.com/sports/three-former-bulldogs-sign-with-mudcats/ . dead .
  5. Web site: CFL.ca bio. 2009-06-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20090219190309/http://cfl.ca/roster/show/id/1244. 2009-02-19. dead.
  6. News: Alouettes, Lions dominate CFL All-Star selections. November 3, 2008. The Canadian Press. TSN.ca. 2009-06-13.
  7. News: Bombers re-sign all-star Fred Reid. January 30, 2009. CFL.ca. 2009-06-13.
  8. News: Bombers re-sign an uninformed Joe Smith. Penton. Kirk. May 23, 2009. The Edmonton Sun. 2009-06-13.
  9. News: Lefko: Previewing the CFL East . June 2, 2009 . Sportsnet.ca . 2009-06-13 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090611075651/http://www.sportsnet.ca/football/cfl/2009/06/02/lefko_cflpreviews_east_division/ . June 11, 2009 .
  10. News: Bombers release Smith. Penton. Kirk. June 25, 2009. Winnipeg Sun. 2009-07-04.
  11. News: Former Esks blame themselves. Korobanik. John. July 3, 2009. Edmonton Journal. Canada.com. 2009-07-04.
  12. News: Reid Runs Wild as Blue Bombers Roll Over Lions. August 22, 2009. The Canadian Press. TSN.ca. 2009-08-22.
  13. Web site: Rushing – 2010. CFL. 2014-02-07. 2014-02-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20140222154018/http://www.cfl.ca/statistics/league/stat/Rushing/year/2010. dead.
  14. Web site: Bombers release veteran RB Fred Reid . 2017-08-28 . 2015-09-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150923202644/http://www.cfl.ca/article/bombers-release-veteran-rb-fred-reid . dead .
  15. News: Argos announce 2020 coaching staff. Toronto Argonauts. February 6, 2020.
  16. News: Former CFL All-Star Fred Reid joins Redblacks as running backs coach . . March 11, 2022.