Thoughts on Kavis Reed

The Riders are excited to have former CFL defensive back Kavis Reed in the organization. He will serve as the team’s running backs and special teams coach. I have heard nothing but good things about Reed and the team is excited to have him on the payroll. He is said to be a surefire CFL head coach some day. It makes me wonder if perhaps that first head coaching gig could be in Saskatchewan and if being the RB and special teams coach is just the beginning for Reed in Riderville.

FACT—Gary Etcheverry has said he would like to be a CIS coach at some time in the future. If this is indeed still the case, the Riders have an heir apparent to Etcheverry should his opportunity in Canadian College Football come up. Reed has served as a defensive co-ordinator with both the Argos and Ti-Cats.

FACT--To be a head coach, you have to have experience on both sides of the football. Coaching the running backs gives Reed his first opportunity to see the game from the offensive side of the ball. With running backs like Wes Cates, Chris Szarka, Neal Hughes and Stu Foord around it is safe to say he will be working with a very solid unit.

FACT—Reed has been said by many to have the pedigree to be a CFL head coach. When I say this I am in no means denigrating current head coach Ken Miller. I think Miller has done a tremendous job in the one year that he has been the bossman. In fact as I have argued in a previous posting, I believe firmly that Miller should be the coach of the year for doing what he did with the limited resources he had week after week due to injury. One can not ignore though that Miller is not a young man. I can’t see him being the Roughriders head coach for as long as Danny Barrett was even if he continues to produce positive results because of his age. Learning from someone like Miller will benefit Reed to the point that perhaps in two or three years he becomes the heir apparent.

I will be very interested to see how Reed’s coaching career grows in Saskatchewan. I also won’t be surprised if one day he is occupying the head coach’s office. However, I don’t think Reed will be moving into that office anytime soon.