Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden convinced Panama City Bay star Bert Reed that the advantage for early playing time with the Seminoles is a real possibility because they have nobody on the depth chart.
The Seminoles put Florida star Percy Harvin, and seemingly Brandon James with a little Tim Tebow/Jarred Fayson/Andre Caldwell thrown in for good measure on display and convinced the Scout.com four star player that the Garnet and Gold might be best for him. He would do everything, but play cornerback- the position that Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews had earmarked for Reed. Therefore, Reed will take an official visit to the Tallahassee campus next weekend and expects to make a decision on Monday.
Mark McLeod: So is it true. Are you going to visit FSU?
Bert Reed: “I think I am, Mr. McLeod. I think I am honestly. They’re talking about that position in their offense and implementing me in really, really early if I come in and work. There is nobody they have in that spot right now, and they need it, and that kind of caught my attention really to be honest. Thinking about myself as a player and what’s good for me. I feel like if I can come in and play early, that’s something that everybody would love to do in a program like Florida State. So, I’m going to go and take a close look at it and I’m still committed to Florida, so I’m a little open minded about it. I’m going to go and see if I like it, if I got a feel for it and go from there.”
Mark McLeod: Was there any negative recruiting involved or was it just positive talk about Florida State?
Bert Reed: “That’s always going to be there. They’re always going to tell you disadvantages of the other program, which is true to some extent. They said that they (Florida) got a guy like me already. They’ve got a couple of guys like me coming in. Percy (Harvin) is already there obviously. They (Florida State) want to do some things like him with me. Things like he would do- like pulling up to throw and putting me in at the quarterback spot. I’m going to take my visit and take a look at everything. Take a better look at everything and see how everything goes and go from there. It’s kind of late and it is kind of weird and everything, but I didn’t know what they were offering, because I didn’t know these coaches.”
Mark McLeod: So basically, they’re (Florida State) talking about using you in direct snap situations and as a Percy Harvin?
Bert Reed: “Just utilizing me a lot, because they (Florida) don’t just utilize Percy. They utilize a lot of people. But, he’s (Coach Bobby Bowden) talking about putting me out wide, putting me in the slot, and putting me in the backfield. Just utilizing me, which is something that I would love to do. And then playing kick returner and punt returner. Having a chance to do all of that stuff. Given, I’ve got to come in there and work and earn it, but there’s nobody there.”
Mark McLeod: Have you contacted the Florida coaches and told them that you’ve reconsidered and will be visiting Florida State?
Bert Reed: “Oh, yeah. They know. They know for sure. I called and they don’t like. If they don’t like it, I don’t know why they wouldn’t like it if this is about me as a player? I kind of don’t understand that. If they don’t like it and they want another player, I guess that I wasn’t that valuable or important to them anyway.”
“It’s getting kind of tough. I have a coach- he’s like a father-figure. I call him Coach Donnie. His name is Donnie Brothers and he’s coached me from basketball to soccer to baseball- everything. From Mighty-Mights all the way to middle school. He came in and asked some good questions, and not just asked questions, but was there like a father figure which I hadn’t had in the recruiting process. He asked some of those tough questions that the coaches don’t want to answer. He kind of pounded Florida State, because he wasn’t really a Florida State fan or sold on Florida State. He’s a really big guy on loyalty and that’s what I’m about because he instilled that in me. People de-commit all the time. Florida’s got a guy who has decommited- the safety from Texas. And he (Donnie Brothers) heard the situation and I don’t want to say it’s better, but it’s an opportunity for me. And that’s what I want is an opportunity, because I think that I’m going to produce. I think that’s a big thing for me is to get an opportunity.
“I didn’t think about getting an opportunity to play soon. That wasn’t a big thing in my recruiting process, but if you’ve got the opportunity to play at a school like that, I really don’t care what their record is to be honest. I think that I could change some things to be honest.”