Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 28, 1993 TAG: 9310290224
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: NRV-5 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By BRIAN DeVIDO STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DUBLIN LENGTH: Medium
Redd, a 5-foot 11, 215-pound senior starter at fullback and defensive end for the Cougars, is the type of no-nonsense player that complements shifty quarterback Andre Eaves and speedy tailback Carl Lewis.
His numbers (398 yards rushing this season) aren't overwhelming, but he's been steady for the Cougars, who are ranked 15th nationally by USA Today.
"He's a blue-collar type guy," Cougars coach Joel Hicks said. "A workmanship guy. Brian's the kind of guy that if he wasn't there, that's when you'd miss him."
Redd just puts his gear on, goes to practice every day and turns in solid performance after solid performance. Punches the clock and calls it a week. No sass.
"He's a rock," Hicks said.
Take last week's win over William Fleming. The Colonels shut down the outside lanes, where the Pulaski County tailbacks do much of their running.
No problem. The Cougars just made Redd work overtime with inside runs.
Redd, who had been averaging six carries a game, carried 13 times for 156 yards and two touchdowns in the Cougars' 24-0 win.
"It was my night," he said, "but there will be other nights for other backs."
Usually, Redd is the lead blocking back. That suits him fine. Redd said he would just as soon block for a teammate as carry the ball himself.
He even has a favorite blocking play: The crisscross, which has been kind to the Cougars this season.
"A lot of times, they [defenders] won't even see me," he said of blocking on the crisscross. "I get a lot of pancakes that way.
"I'll just tear em' up. They'll be trying to pursue, and I'll run up to them and - SMASH! I love it."
Now don't get the wrong idea. Redd's about as unassuming as a player can get.
Hard worker? Certainly. Three years as a starter at defensive end and hefty totals of 305 pounds in the bench press and 480 pounds for the squat attest to that.
And some colleges - Wake Forest and Kent - have expressed interest in Redd Redd. He said he hoped to continue playing football at the collegiate level. It appears his hard work may pay off.
"He's real low-key," Hicks said. "He doesn't like to make mistakes. I think it embarrasses him when he does. He just ducks his head. I can't ever think of a time when he's missed a practice."
Redd doesn't like to make mistakes even if they're flukes.There was the Cougars' 34-7 victory over Heritage this season. Redd was in the middle of a routine block, and he nailed a Heritage defensive tackle. The defender's head flew back, but somehow the momentum from the hit carried him right back into Redd. Redd was knocked down and never heard the end of it.
"We were watching films on Monday [after the Heritage game]," he said, "and the guys saw that play and picked on me all week. They kept saying, `Ah, he dogged you.' "
But Redd has done his share of dogging opposing teams. He rushed for 127 yards in a 56-7 crushing of Bluefield (W.Va.) this year.
That was on four carries.
Then, in a 45-6 whipping of rival Salem Oct. 15, Redd rushed for two touchdowns.
"We loved it," he said. "We're all hyped up. It's like winning states. To tell you the truth, it was better than winning states. We hadn't beaten them the last two years."
by CNB