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B L U E - W H I T E G A M E P R E V I E W "The process is long," he said. "Some- times you're working really hard and you're expecting it to come the next week, but then when the progress comes sud- denly you wake up one morning and you're like, 'I feel so good!' You're able to do things you've never been able to do be- fore. It's a weird process, but I think it's gone well. I think now it's really strong and it feels super comfortable. I'm getting more back in it and taking more and more reps every day." Although he's cleared to play, the leash hasn't been completely detached. During the spring, PSU's coaching staff has kept the load light on upperclassmen, even those who are fully healthy. If in- juries are a concern, more caution is taken. Another adjustment for Reid has been the pace and rhythm at which the game is played. He's moving around like he was before getting hurt, but it takes time to regain the feel and instincts that only come through repetition. So while his time during live action might still be lim- ited – "He's played enough football for us," Franklin said. "We know where he is, so we're taking our time easing him back in" – Reid makes sure to put extra effort in on his own time to make up for any lapse. "You still have to knock the rust off of playing football, reacting off somebody else and the technique part at corner," he said. "But with the extra reps and the work I'm doing [after practice], it's not going to take any time at all." As a sophomore in 2016, Reid started all 14 games and received honorable mention All-Big Ten honors at cornerback. He was also a valuable member of the special teams and ranked third in the conference with an average of 7.5 yards per punt re- turn. A four-star prospect out of St. Joe's Prep in Philadelphia, Reid has always been a natural defensive back. Returning punts was a skill that required more at- tention. As he's making his comeback, however, he's finding that catching punts is some- thing that again could be in the offing. "I was surprised, because I had to work so hard the previous year when I was playing at catching punts," he said. "It wasn't something that came natural to me, but when I came out here and started with spring ball and started to catch it, it came back easy, so I was excited. I was surprised. I'm doing all the techniques right without thinking about it, so that was something I was happy about." Beyond his skill set as a cornerback and his contri- butions to the punt return unit, perhaps Reid's greatest attribute as a football player is his IQ. And that's only grown through- out his recovery. Franklin has called him a "football junkie," and he has lived up to that de- scription by logging approximately 100 more hours of time watching film than any of his teammates. His commitment to the mental aspects of the game is one rea- son why the coaching staff decided to sacrifice a spot on their travel roster for Reid last season. "We've felt as coaches that him travel- ing and being around the guys and his in- telligence and his knowledge and experience was valuable," Franklin said. "The players wanted that and the coaches wanted that. I think it also helped to keep him engaged, because as much as you tell guys to stay locked in, when you're not traveling and you're not on the sideline, it's difficult." He couldn't play, but Reid got as close to the action as he could. Often wearing a headset to listen in to the coaches' con- versations, he found new perspectives from which to further his understanding of the game. "I was on the headset, so you kind of know the reasons that they're calling cer- tain plays, how they're thinking about situations and stuff like that," Reid said. "Actually being able to hear from the coaches in the headset and what they're thinking in the heat of the game is real cool and really important." He found it valuable and an experience he'll carry with him as moves forward in his career. But he would rather have been on the field. ■ NO PASSING ZONE Reid was injured while trying to make an intercep- tion during spring practice a year ago. He missed the 2017 season but is ready to resume his ca- reer this fall. Photo by Nate Bauer

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