Southern Arkansas University Athletics

Will Reed brings a plethora of defensive coaching experience and knowledge of the game to Magnolia as he joins Smiley as the program’s assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. It marks the second time in Reed’s coaching career that he will serve a Smiley-coached program as defensive coordinator after leading the Trinity Valley CC defense since 2007 with the first 11 seasons coming in Smiley’s tenure as head coach.
 
In his 15 years in Athens, Reed oversaw one of the perennial top defenses in the country that continually posted top five statistical finishes in total defense, rushing defense and passing defense. Reed’s defenses helped TVCC capture four Southwestern Junior College Football Conference (SWJCFC) Championships, four C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl wins, and three regional championships. He also enjoyed a two-year stint at TVCC in the late 1990s when he coached the Cardinals’ defensive line (1998) and defensive backs (1999). In that ’99 campaign, TVCC claimed the SWJCFC title and the ’99 Red River Bowl championship.
 
Reed tutored numerous NJCAA All-American selections, SWJCFC Defensive Players of the Year, All-SWJCFC selections during his time with the Cardinals. Additionally, over the last five seasons at TVCC, Reed, who served as the program’s transfer coordinator, was instrumental in the Cardinals’ leading the SWJCFC and ranking in the top five nationally each season in sending student-athletes to the NCAA Division I level with an average of two defensive backs signing each year.
 
Prior to TVCC, Reed coached at Texas College from 2004 to 2007 serving as an associate athletic director as well as the program’s defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator.
 
Reed’s extensive collegiate coaching experience also includes a stint at this alma mater New Mexico State where he served as the program’s video coordinator from 1990 to 1996 following a playing career as a defensive back for the Aggies.
 
In addition to his time spent at the collegiate level, Reed has acquired substantial coaching experience at the professional level with multiple stints in the Arena Football League and National Football League. In 1996, Reed coached running backs, linebackers and defensive backs for the Texas Terror of the AFL and the next year, he directed the wide receivers and defensive backs of the AFL’s New York City Hawks. From 1998 to 2001, Reed was the assistant head coach, special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach of the Milwaukee Mustangs of the AFL.
 
Following two years as the head coach of both football and track and field at Dominican High School in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, Reed served as an offensive and special teams intern for the Minnesota Vikings (2004-05). He also served as a linebackers and special teams intern for the St. Louis Rams (2007) and as a defensive line intern with the Dallas Cowboys (2010).
 
Certainly no stranger to the nuances of recruiting, Reed is highly acquainted with Central and East Texas, the Greater Houston area, Dallas Metroplex, and North Louisiana in addition to high schools and junior colleges in the state of California.
 
Reed earned his undergraduate degree, a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with an emphasis in Public Relations and Advertising, from New Mexico State.