Reed Is Thorpe Award Semifinalist
Nov. 5, 2001
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CORAL GABLES, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – University of Miami senior cornerback Edward Reed (St. Rose, La.) was listed among 12 semifinalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, presented annually to the nation’s best college defensive back, the Jim Thorpe Association announce on Monday.
Reed leads the nation with 7 interceptions and is the unquestioned leader on a Hurricanes defense that leads the nation in pass efficiency defense (82.25 rating), scoring defense (9.29 points per game) and turnover margin (+2.43 per game), in addition to ranking third in the nation in passing yardage defense (143.3 ypg).
“There is no question that Edward is one of the nation’s finest players and, in my opinion should be considered the nation’s best defensive back,” Hurricanes head coach Larry Coker said. “His attitude, work ethic and maturity set an excellent example for the entire team.And the results are obvious. Whenever we need a big play, he makes one. And he’s done it throughout his career. When you consider that he is about to break the UM career interceptions record, and you look at some of the names on that list that have played here, you just begin to grasp the type of player he is.”
“This is a tremendous honor and I’m very excited about it,” Reed said. “When I returned for my senior season, the two goals at the top of my list were to help us win the national championship and to win the Thorpe Award. I already have my degree, and I wanted my college football career to be capped by a special season both for myself and the team.”
Reed was a consensus first-team All-America selection in 2000 and he tied the Miami career interceptions record Saturday in UM’s 38-0 win over Temple as he picked off a pass for the 19th time in his UM career. Reed also ranks a close second on the UM career list for interception return yards with 298. Reed, who also has blocked a punt this season, has blocked 5 kicks in his career and his turnovers produced have led to 107 point over the span of his career.
The Thorpe Award list will be narrowed to three finalists on Nov. 20 and the winner will be announced on Dec. 6 during ESPN’s College Football Awards Show. Formal presentation of the award, which was first presented in 1986, will be in Oklahoma City on Feb. 11, 2002.
For more information on the Jim Thorpe Award contact the Jim Thorpe Association at 405/495-4880.
2001 JIM THORPE AWARD SEMIFINALISTS
CB – Sheldon Brown, South Carolina
CB – Keyou Craver, Nebraska
CB – Quentin Jammer, Texas
CB – Terence Newman, Kansas State
S – Marques Anderson, UCLA
S – Mike Doss, Ohio State
S – Michael Lewis, Colorado
S – Pig Prather, Mississippi State
S – Edward Reed, Miami
S – Stuart Schweigert, Purdue
S – Lamont Thompson, Washington State
S – Roy Williams, Oklahoma
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