With a new coaching staff comes change. For Jordan Reed, that means his days of lining up in the shotgun are a thing of the past.
After taking the reins of the program, new coach Will Muschamp and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis didn’t hesitate to start mixing it up.
After playing more than 100 snaps at quarterback as a freshman, the 6-foot-3, 240 pound Reed now sits atop the depth chart at tight end.
“Jordan Reed is probably one of our best athletes on the team,” quarterback John Brantley said.
“Having him at tight end creates mismatches on linebackers, and we’re excited about that.
He has bought into that position, and I’m excited for him to be playing at tight end.”
Last season, Reed showed flashes of potential as a receiver, hauling in six catches for 79 yards.
Reed didn’t start playing football until high school, and with Florida hurting for depth, the switch makes perfect sense.
Behind Reed is Gerald Christian, a 6-foot-3, 245 pound sophomore, who coaches have experimented with at linebacker, although he was initially recruited as a tight end.
Brantley said he’s excited to have him back on offense.
“When people see Gerald in there the first thing they might think of is run,” Brantley said.
“He has great hands and he’s able to go out there and catch passes. You never know what could happen when he’s in the game.”
Freshman A.C. Leonard, a four-star recruit and the No. 5 tight end in this year’s class, went down with a torn meniscus in the first week of practice.
According to Muschamp, he’ll be out at least six to eight weeks. Freshman Clay Burton will switch to tight end to provide depth and receiver Omarius Hines will also contribute in certain packages.
