Photo by: John Quackenbos
Reid’s Memories Brought Him Back to The Heights
April 09, 2016 | Football
The Eagles’ new defensive coordinator knew exactly what he was coming into when he came back to Chestnut Hill
After Iowa played in the Rose Bowl in January, Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz notified his linebackers coach that Boston College's Steve Addazio had inquired about Jim Reid's interest in the Eagles' defensive coordinator position.
Jim Reid's first response was to ask his boss what he thought about it, and after Ferentz reminded him the position was in his and his wife's hometown, Reid connected with Addazio.
"So with (Ferentz's) permission, I came out here to visit and one thing led to another," Reid said.
A week after the Rose Bowl, the Medford, Mass., product was announced as the Eagles' new defensive coordinator.
But what helped Reid come to The Heights may just have been some outstanding memories of his first go-around at BC, back during the 1994 season as Dan Henning's defensive coordinator.
"Honestly, had I not been here before, I would've still been at Iowa," Reid said. "But I'd been here before, and I knew what it is and know what it can be."
Specifically, Boston College's unique combination as one of the nation's best universities with Jesuit ideals coupled with its true sense of community – not to mention its position in Northeast football – helped draw Reid back to BC 22 years later.
"I've told people this, but there are two major factors here that were key when I was here before," Reid said. "The Jesuit education allows you to be taught, because that is part of what the Jesuits are about: teaching. The other is about community. When you think about student-athletes, that's what we have here: real student-athletes.
"It was really great to coach great, tough, physical guys who loved to play a really tough game. And guys who also wanted to become educated, be great educated men and embrace both of those concepts. And it falls right in line with what Boston College is supposed to be: teaching and community," Reid said.
Addazio knew Reid embodied many of the same qualities himself and prided himself on fostering growth – both personal growth and football development – in his players.
"He's one of the most respected guys in the Northeast," Addazio said. "He's a successful head coach, a successful coordinator. He's a Massachusetts guy. He's been a part of great things everywhere he's been. He's a great developer of men. I've got a lot of close friends who've worked with him, for him, so I had a lot of respect for Jim."
"I just remember Tim Morabito, the nose man, Chris Sullivan, Steve Boyd, Mike Mamula, Stalin Colinet – you can go down the list through all the pieces. And then you had Pete Kendall who I saw, Pete Mitchell called when I got the job. That was about community. That 1994 team was about toughness, physicalness, education. Becoming educated men and leaders, and togetherness – team. When you have those memories – pleasant memories always seem to resonate and get better and better and better.
"Now I'm back and I'm coaching the same type of guys right now. Connor Strachan, Mike Strizak, Ty Schwab, Matt Milano. All those guys follow the same prototype – they're like-minded guys. It's fun to be around them and coach them," Reid said.
"So far it's been really good," Milano, a senior linebacker, said. "He's come in, established himself and who he wants our defense to be. He relates well to the players, to the linebackers, and I think it's going to be an easy transition."
"Coach Reid is a great coach and we're a tight unit as a defense so it's been easy," junior linebacker Connor Strachan said. "It's been fun."
One of Reid's hallmarks is the concept of team. It can be drawn off his awareness of the college community. In this case, Reid's concern is for the unit, the team, the group. Not offense or defense or special teams as individual unites. But rather the result of all areas playing together.
"Coach Reid is an all-for-one, one-for-all guy," Addazio said. "It's one team, it's one heartbeat. Offense complements the defense and defense complements the offense. Your offense, your special teams, we all complement each other. And the only stat that matters is winning. So he's real team-based, and a builder of men."
Milano added, "He just wants us to play together, to play as a team. His passion that he has for the game is unbelievable. It transitions from the meeting room to our play on the field. That's one big thing he's brought with him here."
"Being a top defensive team, nobody will remember that," Reid said. "What really matters? Your record.
"We had a top-20 defense at Iowa. We were 60th or 70th in offense. But what people remember is we played in the Rose Bowl, we were 12-0 in the regular season and the Big Ten Championship Game was one of the greatest games ever televised. So that's people remember. And that's what these guys are all focused on, too," Reid said.
Reid remembers his first time around at BC, being part of a team that made memories – not only for him, but for fans.
"Coming back now, I can remember is seven tough, tough wins and a lost to Miami that was just a great football game. Notre Dame, the very first third down and one when they ran a zone play to the side that Tim Morabito was shaded on, and it was a minus-two and it should've been – everyone jumping up and down in celebration. I think we won that game 31-10, or 31-14 or whatever it was [30-11]. Those are the memories I have. But not just the memories, I have the memories of how it got done and the people that did them. That's what brings you back.
"Somebody told me, 'Well, the campus has changed.' But I tell you what, when I was walking around, nothing has changed. Nothing. Because the environment in which this teaching gets done is exactly the same. And this is a marvelous place to come and get an education and to play good, Division I, Power Five football," Reid said.
And now that the spring football practice season has just one week left before the Jay McGillis Memorial Spring Game next Saturday, April 16 (noon, Alumni Stadium), there is still a lot of work left today.
Once the Eagles are officially off the football field for the year after next Saturday, the work shifts to individual growth off the field – in the weight room, with the playbook, with teammates. Relishing the community that Boston College fosters, and commitment that Addazio and his staff demand.
"It's been a very focused time, to get back to where we want to be, but especially where the players want to be," Reid said. "It's been about focus and hard work, and you want to enjoy the environment. But you're here to get a degree, to work hard and to win in football. We have a challenge in front of us that everybody is looking forward to, but we're handling it one day at a time.
"Coach Addazio is about focus and he's about being excited about being here at Boston College. He's got a plan and it's a great one. And now we just have to come together as a team and get this thing done the way it should be. And his goals are to graduate everyone and to work hard and all of that will lead to winning," Reid said.
Jim Reid's first response was to ask his boss what he thought about it, and after Ferentz reminded him the position was in his and his wife's hometown, Reid connected with Addazio.
"So with (Ferentz's) permission, I came out here to visit and one thing led to another," Reid said.
A week after the Rose Bowl, the Medford, Mass., product was announced as the Eagles' new defensive coordinator.
But what helped Reid come to The Heights may just have been some outstanding memories of his first go-around at BC, back during the 1994 season as Dan Henning's defensive coordinator.
"Honestly, had I not been here before, I would've still been at Iowa," Reid said. "But I'd been here before, and I knew what it is and know what it can be."
Specifically, Boston College's unique combination as one of the nation's best universities with Jesuit ideals coupled with its true sense of community – not to mention its position in Northeast football – helped draw Reid back to BC 22 years later.
"I've told people this, but there are two major factors here that were key when I was here before," Reid said. "The Jesuit education allows you to be taught, because that is part of what the Jesuits are about: teaching. The other is about community. When you think about student-athletes, that's what we have here: real student-athletes.
"It was really great to coach great, tough, physical guys who loved to play a really tough game. And guys who also wanted to become educated, be great educated men and embrace both of those concepts. And it falls right in line with what Boston College is supposed to be: teaching and community," Reid said.
Addazio knew Reid embodied many of the same qualities himself and prided himself on fostering growth – both personal growth and football development – in his players.
"He's one of the most respected guys in the Northeast," Addazio said. "He's a successful head coach, a successful coordinator. He's a Massachusetts guy. He's been a part of great things everywhere he's been. He's a great developer of men. I've got a lot of close friends who've worked with him, for him, so I had a lot of respect for Jim."
"I just remember Tim Morabito, the nose man, Chris Sullivan, Steve Boyd, Mike Mamula, Stalin Colinet – you can go down the list through all the pieces. And then you had Pete Kendall who I saw, Pete Mitchell called when I got the job. That was about community. That 1994 team was about toughness, physicalness, education. Becoming educated men and leaders, and togetherness – team. When you have those memories – pleasant memories always seem to resonate and get better and better and better.
"Now I'm back and I'm coaching the same type of guys right now. Connor Strachan, Mike Strizak, Ty Schwab, Matt Milano. All those guys follow the same prototype – they're like-minded guys. It's fun to be around them and coach them," Reid said.
"So far it's been really good," Milano, a senior linebacker, said. "He's come in, established himself and who he wants our defense to be. He relates well to the players, to the linebackers, and I think it's going to be an easy transition."
"Coach Reid is a great coach and we're a tight unit as a defense so it's been easy," junior linebacker Connor Strachan said. "It's been fun."
One of Reid's hallmarks is the concept of team. It can be drawn off his awareness of the college community. In this case, Reid's concern is for the unit, the team, the group. Not offense or defense or special teams as individual unites. But rather the result of all areas playing together.
"Coach Reid is an all-for-one, one-for-all guy," Addazio said. "It's one team, it's one heartbeat. Offense complements the defense and defense complements the offense. Your offense, your special teams, we all complement each other. And the only stat that matters is winning. So he's real team-based, and a builder of men."
Milano added, "He just wants us to play together, to play as a team. His passion that he has for the game is unbelievable. It transitions from the meeting room to our play on the field. That's one big thing he's brought with him here."
"Being a top defensive team, nobody will remember that," Reid said. "What really matters? Your record.
"We had a top-20 defense at Iowa. We were 60th or 70th in offense. But what people remember is we played in the Rose Bowl, we were 12-0 in the regular season and the Big Ten Championship Game was one of the greatest games ever televised. So that's people remember. And that's what these guys are all focused on, too," Reid said.
Reid remembers his first time around at BC, being part of a team that made memories – not only for him, but for fans.
"Coming back now, I can remember is seven tough, tough wins and a lost to Miami that was just a great football game. Notre Dame, the very first third down and one when they ran a zone play to the side that Tim Morabito was shaded on, and it was a minus-two and it should've been – everyone jumping up and down in celebration. I think we won that game 31-10, or 31-14 or whatever it was [30-11]. Those are the memories I have. But not just the memories, I have the memories of how it got done and the people that did them. That's what brings you back.
"Somebody told me, 'Well, the campus has changed.' But I tell you what, when I was walking around, nothing has changed. Nothing. Because the environment in which this teaching gets done is exactly the same. And this is a marvelous place to come and get an education and to play good, Division I, Power Five football," Reid said.
And now that the spring football practice season has just one week left before the Jay McGillis Memorial Spring Game next Saturday, April 16 (noon, Alumni Stadium), there is still a lot of work left today.
Once the Eagles are officially off the football field for the year after next Saturday, the work shifts to individual growth off the field – in the weight room, with the playbook, with teammates. Relishing the community that Boston College fosters, and commitment that Addazio and his staff demand.
"It's been a very focused time, to get back to where we want to be, but especially where the players want to be," Reid said. "It's been about focus and hard work, and you want to enjoy the environment. But you're here to get a degree, to work hard and to win in football. We have a challenge in front of us that everybody is looking forward to, but we're handling it one day at a time.
"Coach Addazio is about focus and he's about being excited about being here at Boston College. He's got a plan and it's a great one. And now we just have to come together as a team and get this thing done the way it should be. And his goals are to graduate everyone and to work hard and all of that will lead to winning," Reid said.
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