If Miami is talking, Ed Reed is listening.
The former All-Pro safety and Miami Hurricanes star said he would entertain a call from his former school, which must now search for a new coach after the dismissal of Al Golden on Sunday. Asked Monday on The Rich Eisen Show about whether a lengthy resume of experience should really be necessary for a coaching hire, Reed took the opportunity to throw his name into the Hurricanes' list of options.
"The NBA did it with Jason Kidd. I even thought about it. They can put my name in the mix for a coaching job or something like that. It seems like the partnership between players and coaches, the head coach's job is to manage everybody, manage the game, and help the offensive and defensive coordinators make the best decisions. And they help him do the same thing," Reed said. "I haven't received a call from a 305 (area code) number. I would definitely listen, would go and talk and want to know what they're looking to do. I would entertain it. I'm at a different place in my life right now, working out, training, coaching from afar, helping guys out, high school, college and pro alike. I definitely would entertain it."
The chances that Miami would hire a head coach who hasn't been a coach before are, of course, all but nil. However, the chances they would bring on a former great such as Reed in some other capacity are much greater. Missouri, for instance, brought back former San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Justin Smith in August as a strength coach.
Either way, Reed said former Hurricanes stars want to be part of the decision and, more importantly, part of the program's revival.
"We've definitely got to get some real detailed coaching in there, from my view. It just looks like technique-wise, we're a little behind," Reed said. "... You might want to consider the thoughts of some players that played the game, that made an impact, that want to be involved around there. We definitely need some coaches that can understand the players, relate to the players, and coach them well. It seems like there was a disconnection schematically, just talking football, from what I've seen. Maybe the kids weren't taught as well, or weren't taking to the teaching that well. That seemed to be a problem."
What also was a problem, clearly, was a 58-0 loss to Clemson on Saturday that was the most lopsided loss in UM history. Just a day after saying he would not fire Golden in the wake of the performance, athletic director Blake James did exactly that.
There is definitely no shortage of former star Hurricanes that could take an interest in the rebuilding process.
Nor is there a shortage of work required for that goal to be reached.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread*.
