Without Reid, Blazers don't change game plan
Valdosta State head coach David Dean said the Blazers didn't change their game plan when they were informed they had lost cornerback Greg Reid for the season with an ACL injury."The things we were going to do with him, we just took it out," Dean said. "We didn't build our whole game plan around Greg Reid. We just put things in there that he could do for us."
Dean pleased with Wednesday, Thursday practices
After a lackluster practice on Tuesday, Dean said he thought the Blazers' practices on Wednesday and Thursday were much-improved."Tuesday, I thought we were very, very lethargic," Dean said. "It really concerned me. I thought Wednesday and (Thursday) we kind of got our legs underneath us and we got excited because we know the game is right around the corner. So, now, I think, the whole mental attitude has changed. It did concern me on Tuesday, but now I'm not concerned. I think these guys are ready to play."
Reid thinking over future
Dean said he is giving Greg Reid time to think over his future and what options lay ahead for the former Lowndes High and Florida State standout. Reid will take his redshirt season this year while he recovers from his ACL injury. Reid is eligible to enter the NFL Draft in April or return to any football team, at any level, including Valdosta State."He has had two big blows in about a month span," said Dean of Reid. "For his sake, he needs to sit back and evaluate his future. He is just starting classes here. He is just in his third week of classes here, so he is just getting used to what is going on. There is really no hurry in his decision, as for what he has to do. I am letting him, basically, take some time and evaluate what he wants to do, and whatever it is, we will move on from there."
Roelle won't travel with Blazers
After fighting an injured hamstring much of training camp, wide receiver Griffin Roelle will not travel with the Blazers this week after suffering an injury to his quad."The only positive thing I can say about it is that he hasn't done a lot with us this summer," Dean said. "So it is not like we had him and lost him. So, he is a factor. He does a lot of things for us. If he was playing, there would be some things that we could do that he does very well for us."
Roelle finished the 2011 season with a team-high 35 catches. Besides Roelle, the Blazers are relatively healthy heading into Saturday's game. Dean did say cornerback Manny Evans rolled an ankle in Thursday's practice and he was taken into the training room for further evaluation.
