Ray Lewis: Miami football players need to be willing to talk to Ed Reed

Miami football players need to be willing to talk to Ed Reed and use him as a resource according to legendary Hurricanes linebacker Ray Lewis.

The hiring of Ed Reed as the chief of staff to the Miami football program means far more than his title. Reed’s presence with the Hurricanes is a great resource for the Miami players to have available. Miami players have to be willing to approach Reed and speak to him according to legendary Miami linebacker Ray Lewis.

There was a lot of consternation with the Miami football staff during the offseason and the changes that Manny Diaz made. Rumors abounded that Diaz was negotiating with 1980s Miami star running back Alonzo Highsmith for a job on the Hurricanes staff. Highsmith ultimately was not a good fit at the college level.

Reed is not as experienced as Highsmith now with the Seattle Seahawks as a personnel executive. The only experience Reed has had on a football staff prior to returning to Miami was as an assistant coach with the Buffalo Bills under Rex Ryan in 2016. Reed played for Ryan with the Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets.

The timing for Reed taking the job with the Miami football program is excellent after the Hurricanes signed four safeties in the Class of 2020. Reed will also have the chance to work with senior Amari Carter and juniors Bubba Bolden and Gurvan Hall. Reed’s job is wide encompassing.

The College and Pro Football Hall of Famer’s job description are primarily to work on the logistics of the Miami football program. Reed will do far more than that. Being a mentor to the Miami football players and helping Diaz restructure the Hurricanes culture is why Reed was truly hired.

"“There’s two things you can guarantee he brings: Experience and probably the best safety to ever play the game, right?.To know that Ed comes back, the kids gain so much, but they have to really be willing to speak to him because you’ve got to be willing to listen to those lessons and a lot of those lessons take a long time but Ed, he’s wise way beyond his years, man, so I think he brings a lot of experience and a lot of knowledge.”"

Lewis is confident about the impact Reed can have on the Miami football team. It’s apparent that it has to be a mutual relationship. The players need to be fully invested in wanting to be mentored and willing to apply what Reed teaches them to become successful. Diaz has spoken about weeding out players who don’t fit the culture.

Instituting the culture that Diaz and Reed seek could take a few recruiting classes. Houston graduate transfer quarterback D’Eriq King has taken over a leadership role on offense that has been lacking at Miami for a few years. It is going to eventually take the players to create expectations for Miami.