College football

Revitalized Reid is giving FSU big plays

By BRIAN LANDMAN
Published November 3, 2005

TALLAHASSEE - As he retreated dangerously close to his goal line to field a punt last weekend against Maryland, Florida State's Willie Reid had only one thought:

"Coach ( Mickey) Andrews is going to kill me," he said. "When I caught it (at his 2) I was like, "I better get at least to the 20 or I'm in trouble.' He doesn't play around with stuff like that."

No need to worry about the hard-driving Andrews getting on him for a gaffe there.

Maryland's Adam Podlesh boomed one 57 yards, so Reid had plenty of time and room. He returned it 36 yards, excitedly hopping after he was stopped. A sign of his relief? That and for the chance to show what he can do when he's healthy.

The oft-injured Reid has recovered from a knee sprain that essentially cost him the first three games and has been invaluable on special teams and at receiver.

Against the Terps, he returned another punt 61 yards for a touchdown, the first Seminole to do that since Leon Washington in 2003; he's averaging 16.3 yards per return on the year. He also had seven catches for a team-high 90 yards in that game, giving him 28 for 364.

"He's very, very important to us," coach Bobby Bowden said.

"The main thing is now I'm just healthy; I'm fully healthy and I feel good out there," Reid said. "I'm confident in knowing my assignments and playing to my ability. ... It's really been like a big burden lifted from my shoulders being healthy."

Reid, 23, has had plenty of practice at shouldering the frustration injuries can bring. He's had a broken leg, a shoulder injury, a groin/hamstring strain that hampered him most of last season and then the knee. He has also dealt with being moved between receiver and tailback earlier in his career.

"I could lie and say it's easy, but it's really not," he said. "... But having those obstacles come along and having to face adversity like that, and overcome it, makes it even more special to call yourself a Seminole. ... I believe my best days are still ahead of me."

DON'T OVERLOOK HIS DEFENSE: While the defense has struggled with injuries and depth, it might be easy to miss the stellar play of senior nose guard Brodrick Bunkley.

The former Chamberlain star, facing double teams much of the season, has 11 tackles for a loss (second in the ACC) and 10 quarterback hurries.

He had one of the biggest plays of the game last weekend. With Maryland driving and facing a third and 1 from the FSU 34, Bunkley stopped running back Lance Ball for a 4-yard loss.

"I figured they were going to try to get the first down so it mostly likely was going to be a run play and the way the center was leaning, I could tell he was going to try to step out on me hard," he said. "We ran a great stunt and I got in there."

4 FOR 4: Bowden said his offensive staff called for quarterback Drew Weatherford to throw four times to freshman receiver Greg Carr as he ran a takeoff route against the Terps. One went for a 37-yard completion and the other three went for defensive penalties.

"I said, "Ya'll only called it four times,' " he joked.

KEEPING PERSPECTIVE: The men's cross country team had to be disappointed initially for a second-place finish to Virginia in Monday's ACC championship meet. But there's nothing like a bit of distance for a less emotional perspective.

"We ran our best race of the year and we ran one of our best races a Florida State team has run since I've been here," said sixth-year coach Bob Braman. "We ran like a Top 10 team."

And that's the big picture.

In cross country, the aim is to reach the national meet (on Nov. 21 at Terre Haute, Ind.). FSU has enough quality performances that it likely doesn't even have to finish first or second at the Nov. 12 NCAA South regional at Florida to get there. Braman said FSU came out of the ACC race healthy, another plus. The women, however, need to finish in the Top 2 at the regional to keep running. But expect former Tampa King standout Laura Bowerman to run better than she did at the ACC (17th).

Brian Landman covers Florida State athletics. Reach him at 813 226-3347 or at landman@sptimes.com

[Last modified November 3, 2005, 01:07:13]