University of Georgia Athletics
Quick Chat: J.R. Reed
March 19, 2019 | Football, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Georgia players, coaches and fans should be glad to have safety J.R. Reed back for one more season. He pondered his football future and the possibility of going to the NFL after wrapping up a very good junior season, which followed a very good sophomore season, and decided that there was more work to be done in Athens with the Bulldogs.
Reed has started every game the past two seasons after sitting out 2016 following his transfer from Tulsa. He also has the distinction of being a rare three-time participant in a Quick Chat, joining former teammate Jeb Blazevich as the only ones to do it. (Click here and here for Reed's previous chats.)
During our chat before the start of spring practice Tuesday, Reed, whose father Jake played in the NFL for 12 seasons, talked about his decision to come back for his senior season, being a leader, dressing well and much more. Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: I wasn't sure if we'd be seeing you around these parts again. What was the deciding factor for coming back for one more year?
Reed: Family, you've got to go over it with your family, those decisions like that; you've got to weigh the pros and cons and really make a personal business decision and realize what you have ahead of you. And I realized this team can go to the national championship and that's something that I want to win and something I want to be a part of.
Frierson: Was there relief when the decision was done?
Reed: Definitely relief — when you don't know what you're going to do, you have nights where you stay up and just think about the endless possibilities.
Frierson: Have you thought much about the kind of leader you want or need to be with this team, because you're obviously going to have a really big leadership role on the defense and with the whole team?
Reed: I know what type of leader I am, I'm not going to change too much of what I've done in the past. I know I'm losing a significant leader in Deandre Baker, but I still have other guys who are going to step up, and I'll let them know they need to step up.
I just don't want to put unneeded pressure on my back because that will affect my play.
Frierson: Your journey here to this point, being Jake Reed's kid, playing at Tulsa, transferring here and then starting every game the past two years — do you think about how far you've come and where you are right now?
Reed: Sometimes I sit back and I look, but I try to not even worry about it because I'm always pushing forward. My mom always reminds me, like, "Look at how far you've come," but I'm always thinking about how I've got to get better here, do this, I need to do that, so I'm always trying to find different ways to get better.
Frierson: On that front, what part of your game from last season do you look at and say, that has to be better next season?
Reed: I definitely left a lot of interceptions out there on the field, that I definitely think I could have had and that I definitely think I had in myself, I've just got to get better in that area. I think I can create a lot more turnovers than I did.
Frierson: Based on Roquan Smith's Instagram, it looks like you guys had some fun on spring break together. What's it like being a football player on spring break? Are you still working out hard every day?
Reed: For me, Roquan and Tae (Crowder), we've been friends since Day One here and for us, it's more of a relaxation time. You work out a little bit and get a couple of runs in, but it's more of relaxing your mind and resetting. Because when you come back, the grind is coming and it's time to get down to work.
Frierson: Roquan obviously is beloved around here and had a great rookie season with the Bears, so what's it like being around your good friend that's now a millionaire?
Reed: We always look at him like, man, look how far you came, but he's still the same Roquan and we still treat him like the same Roquan that was here in 2016. We don't treat each other any different, we always look out for each other.
Frierson: What are one or two things you always take with you when you travel, whether it's spring break or to a road game?
Reed: For a road game, I definitely have to watch me a movie on the plane. If I fly, I'm watching me a movie. It can be a movie I've seen before or a new movie — good or bad, I like to watch movies a lot.
Another thing I always take is sunglasses, I've got to have me some sunglasses. If I forget my shades I feel out of place.
Frierson: You strike me as someone that likes to dress up well and takes a lot of pride in looking sharp.
Reed: I love dressing up in suits. I told my mom, when I come back home I've got to get two new ones and before the season starts I've probably got to get two more. I try to not wear the same thing, I try to switch up my combinations: shirt to suit or shirt and pants. I try to switch everything up.
Frierson: I feel like you're ready for the paparazzi or a Dawg Walk red carpet.
Reed: (Laughs) No, I just like feeling good. If I dress up nice I feel good and feel comfortable, but if I forget my shades my whole fit is off.
Frierson: Is that kind of a professionalism thing — it's a game, there are 90,000 people there to watch you play and you've got to go to work in your best outfit?
Reed: The Superman suit's under it, but when I put the glasses on and I walk out there I'm like, it's go time, it's time to zone in.
Frierson: What's the last thing you've bought yourself that you're really, really happy with? I know that's a weird question.
Reed: That is a weird question. I try to save up as much as I can, but I did buy me some clothes that I'm pretty satisfied with, what they look like and how I'm wearing them. ... I only buy things I really, really want. If I somewhat want it, I won't even buy it — but I'm happy about what I just bought.
Frierson: I'm the type that it will be late at night and the whole internet is there in front of me and I wind up buying stuff I don't really want or need.
Reed: See that's how I am, I will go through everything on the internet and I won't buy anything. I will put it in my cart and I'll look at it like, (exhales) I don't want it. Then I'll go to the mall looking to buy something and I go through the whole mall, I might go to every store, and walk out empty-handed.
Frierson: What's on your to-do list for your final season and final 10 months or so in Athens? I know you've already graduated, so that's done.
Reed: I've already graduated [with a degree in Communication Studies] so I'm going to work on my second degree, I'm going to do it in Graphic Design. I've always wanted to do that so I'm doing that.
Also on my to-do list, I like to try new restaurants, so if I find a restaurant, I want to go there and try it out and see if it's any good.
Frierson: What can you tell me about studying graphic design?
Reed: I've done graphic design since middle school and I've done video production and graphic design, but I fell more in love with the graphic design part. In high school I continued to do it and took a class when I was at Tulsa. I did it and found other apps or other software that you can design on and really make your pictures pop out, make it look like things are moving.
All of it intrigues me and I can sit down and play music and literally just play on my computer until I get frustrated with it, and then close it and open it up again the next day.
Frierson: Last one, if you could be great at anything in the world for a day, just to experience it, what would it be?
Reed: I would want to be a great painter. I sit back and I look at pictures (of paintings) and I think, I could paint that. Then I try to do it and I realize, I can't do that (laughs). If I could paint and draw really great, amazingly, it's an art, it's really an art and I think people take it for granted.
It's very underrated. You look at a painting and think, someone really did this, with a brush and the time it takes. I want to do that.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
