MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama football corner back Travis Reed recently sat down with USAJaguars.com to discuss why he decided to sign with South Alabama, how his time in junior college helped him and who has had the biggest influence on his life, among other things.

Reed, a senior from Meridian, Miss., has been a member of the Jaguar program since the 2018 season after transferring from Jones County (Miss.) Junior College.  This season, Reed has played in each of the first five contests, posting 17 stops and a team-high three pass break ups.

Last season you arrived in Mobile after two years at the junior college level. What did you take away from your experience?
"I was able to learn the playbook. It helped me understand things more and gave me time to work on my craft."

How have you improved since last year? What were some areas you wanted to focus on improving during the offseason?
"I worked on my footwork and worked on being more physical. I also put in a lot of reps in the weight room and tried to get back to my old self like I was in JUCO."

What are some goals you set for yourself this season?
"I set a big goal for myself coming into the season. I wanted to be able to get four interceptions and at least one pick six, and get at least 35 tackles. Those are the goals that I set for myself before the season started."

What do you like about playing in defensive coordinator Greg Stewart's scheme?
"We're aggressive. He lets us be ourselves. I like playing man [coverage]. He knows I'm a physical corner and he lets me be myself on defense."

Were there any similarities in what you did defensively in either junior college or high school?
"In junior college, we played a lot of man, which actually helped me lean more towards coming here to South during the recruiting process. I felt comfortable with the system they were going to play because it was what I had done."

What do you see as your role on the defense?
"My role on this defense is to just be the most physical corner back that I can be and not allow any catches. I try to translate that mindset throughout the whole defensive backs room."

Being one of the seniors on the team, what type of leadership role have you assumed on the team?
"Rather than being a vocal leader, I've tried to just lead by example. I try to come out every day with the same attitude and the same energy. If they see me doing that, everybody else is going to do it. I try to keep everybody's spirits up even when they are having a bad day. They can talk to me and I'll change their whole mood so they can be focused."

What are some of the strengths of the defense?
"Our defensive line is the strongest group because we have some big guys who are really strong. They help make our job easier."

Other than the type of defensive scheme South Alabama was going to play, what else made you decide to be a Jag?
"Coach Kitch [Matt Kitchens]. He was the main person who recruited me along with Coach [Josh] Jones. I gravitated towards him because I liked his personality. He brings his son up to practice a lot. He's a good role model and a person I felt I could look up to."

How did junior college help prepare you for Division I football?
"It matured me a lot. I still had a kid mindset when I left high school and I learned a lot in JUCO. It made me a tougher person because it's a tougher route for players to have to take. It matured me and prepared me for all the stuff that I had to go through when I got here to South."

You are from Meridian, Miss. How often is your family able to attend games?
"They come a lot. They are at every home game. They aren't able to go to many away games, but they are at every home game."

What do you like to do in your spare time?
"I like to shop."

What types of things do you like to shop for?
"I like shoes and clothes. Those are my biggest thing, but I need to cut down on that."

Who has had the biggest influence on your life?
"The biggest influence on my life would have to be my high school coach [Calvin Hampton] because he was so tough on me. Not having a father growing up, he showed me that everything wasn't going to be given to you and that there were going to be times where you would have to work your butt off to get to where you wanted to be. He really molded me into the person I am today."

What other sports did you play in high school?  
"I played baseball my ninth- and 10th-grade years until I messed up my shoulder and wasn't able to really throw. Football and baseball were really just the two sports for me."

Between the two sports, which did you have more of a passion for growing up?
"I loved baseball so much and it hurt that I wasn't able to play the game anymore. That was my No. 1 sport. Football was just something I did back then, but baseball was my first love. I still think about it to this day and at times I want to play baseball so much."

What positions did you play?
"I was a pitcher and second baseman, and sometimes played shortstop."

What does the defense have to do in order to help the team and the unit close out the season on a successful note?
"We just have to grind it out and stay true to ourselves. We are capable of that. We saw that in the Nebraska game. We are capable of hanging in there with anyone in the country. We just need to put our head down and work."

What are you wanting to do after your football career is over?
"I want to get into coaching. I would like to be a defensive backs coach at my high school. I don't want to leave football. I really want to get into coaching those, because I really feel like I could impact others' lives like other coaches have impacted mine."

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