Junior linebacker David Reese led the Gators in tackles last season and emerged as a leading voice in the locker room. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)
SEC Media Days: Reese Takes on Leading Role
Friday, July 13, 2018 | Football, Scott Carter
As a freshman in 2016, Reese took over late in the season for injured starter Jarrad Davis and helped the Gators clinch the Southeastern Conference East Division title with a team-high 12 tackles at LSU. He didn't let up in his first season as a full-time starter a year ago, leading the Gators with 102 tackles.
Still, none of those stops resonated with teammates and fans as much as the day Reese proved his worth as a young team leader.
In the first game following the departure of head coach Jim McElwain, the Gators traveled to Missouri in search of a much-needed win. Instead, they got a 45-16 beating from the Tigers.
Reese is known for his quiet hard-working approach. However, in the locker room after the loss and during the postgame press conference, Reese decided enough was enough.
He questioned the Gators' effort against Missouri, saying interim head coach Randy Shannon and the coaching staff deserved more than what they got as Missouri rolled up 455 yards to hand Florida its worst loss to an opponent with a losing record since 1946.
"He's not a big rah-rah guy at all. For him to actually address the team was surprising. It just shows he was fed up,'' teammate CeCe Jefferson said. "He was like, 'man, what are we doing? We need to pick this up.' For a guy like that to address the team, it was a big deal. He works hard. He works real hard and leads by example. A lot of people watch him. You could just tell he had everybody's attention when he was talking. They bought into what he was saying. That earned him a lot of respect on the team."
The following week, the Gators responded with a much more inspired performance in a 28-20 loss at South Carolina. They then snapped a five-game losing streak with a 36-7 win over UAB to offer a brief respite during a 4-7 season.
Reese's role as a team leader is one reason UF head coach Dan Mullen called on Reese to join seniors Jefferson and offensive lineman Martez Ivey next week in Atlanta at the 2018 SEC Media Days.
It will be Reese's first trip to the league's annual preseason bonanza.
"I was honored to get the responsibility to go,'' he said. "I try to work hard every day and show a good representation of what a Gator needs to be. I try to hold that and be accountable to that on and off the field in life. That's that hard part, trying to hold that standard throughout life. It's just something that is a continuous battle every day."
Reese grew up in Farmington, Mich., and starred at quarterback in the Detroit Police Athletic League. Even while playing the game's most important position, Reese said he did most of his talking with his play.
While his words at the postgame media session following the Missouri loss made headlines, Reese did not plan it that way.
#Gators LB David Reese after the game as one of the team's top young leaders ... pic.twitter.com/prNY9rNxsI
— Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) November 4, 2017
"It was definitely just at the performance we had,'' he said. "I didn't know I was going to get interviewed or anything. I didn't have any idea that that's what I was going to say or let that be known. It was a question that sparked it.
"I felt like we all needed it. I felt that was a tough situation we were all going through. The challenge was just to give it our best and finish it out. I feel like as a team we showed up better against South Carolina. We should have won that game but things didn't fall our way. At least I can say guys showed up ready to play."
On a defense that has talent and depth on the defensive line and in the secondary, Reese is the most experienced among a young group of linebackers. Reese is optimistic the Gators have the pieces for a quick turnaround following last year's disappointment.
Jefferson is too, in part due to Reese's emergence as strong leader in the locker room and productive player on the field.
"That [speech at Missouri] took it to the next level for him,'' Jefferson said. "People look at him in a different way because of that. He's still one of those guys that leads by example. I feel like it if ever gets to the point again where he needs to step up and 'rah-rah,' then he'll do it. He's back in his little dark corner working hard."
DAVID REESE Q&A
Q: So much of the offseason storyline surrounding this team has focused on the team's improvement in the weight room. Why is that different from years past?
A: Those are the guys that we are with 90 percent of the offseason. We practice mostly year-round and we only play 12 games, so those guys make a real difference. I feel like they have done a great job of pushing us every step of the way and I feel like the team is buying in and straining together. I think we are growing closer just on the strength of the workouts.
Q: Is this the hardest you have worked during an offseason?
A: This is probably the hardest I've worked since I've been here as far as the offseason training. I always give great effort, try to give it my all in whatever I'm doing. But this weight training is definitely a level up from what we had before.
Q: What has been biggest impact in the new approach for you personally?
A: They just did a good job of giving me info on nutrition and Miss Collier [Perno, head of football nutrition], she has been doing a great job giving me a great meal plan and prep to keep my body lean and be ready to move at my best weight whatever I want to play at.
Q: Where is your playing weight?
A: Last year I probably played at 243, this year I'm probably going to play at 235.
Q: How has your nutrition improved?
A: I've just been trying to cut out the fried foods. A lot of baked chicken, a lot of grilled chicken. I don't eat fries anymore. I drink a lot of water. I try to drink a gallon a day. Little things like that can take us a long way.
Q: When you do the nutrition piece right, how you feel after a tough workout?
A: It feels better. You run better. You don't get as tired. And water tastes so great after a Coach [Nick] Savage workout. It's easy to drink a gallon of water after that. We take a hydration test almost every day before practice. I feel like that's a great system to get your body where it needs to be to perform.
Q: You're not even the only David Reese on this team anymore. How well did you know the freshman David Reese prior to his arrival?
A: I didn't know him at all. He's a Florida kid and I'm from all the way up north. I didn't know anything about him, but when he was going through this process, we grew close together just naturally off the respect of the name. I kind of took him under my wing and that's also my little brother here in this program. It's kind of fun to play with him. I want to see what it's like.
Q: What's your early impressions of him as someone who is also on defense?
A: Comes from a great background. I met his mom. I also know he has a brother who plays at Mississippi State [offensive lineman Stewart Reese]. The coaches know about him and his brother's work ethic. He's physically ready to come in and play right away. This kid is going to be physically dominant.
Q: Going back to your leadership qualities, where do those come from?
A: God blessed me with the opportunity to take that position. I used to play quarterback all my life through little league football. I lead by example most of the time. I'm not a vocal, vocal guy all the time except when I need to be. It just seems like I've always been put in that position in life. It's just a calling and I step up to the plate and take control and do what I have to do for the better of everybody.
Q: As you enter your third year, what's different from your first two?
A: I feel like the game has definitely slowed down a little bit. I got a great opportunity to play with some great guys since I've been here, especially my freshman year. It's just a blessing to be here. The main thing I want is for our team to get farther. I want us to get to the SEC, for us to beat Bama in the SEC Championship. The sky is the limit for this program. I just want us to make that stride and show people what we can really do. It's not more what I want to do or what I can accomplish. I want to see how far we can go.
Q: If someone asks you why this team is capable of a big turnaround in 2018, what do you tell them?
A: Just the possibility of what we can do. Just the thought of some of the guys I came in with. It might be the last time with those guys. They kind of set the way. Now it's our time to take control and see what we can do. Our schedule is very winnable. I'm just excited to see what happens.
Q: You're going to Atlanta with Jefferson and Ivey, two guys who decided to come back for their senior years. Did you know before they announced it?
A: They kind of told us. But you never know until Twitter tells us.
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