Andy Reid has come to expect the jokes.
As in, “Will Patrick Mahomes be playing quarterback for the Pennsylvania offense?”
That’s what happens when you share a name with the legendary coach of the Kansas City Chiefs.
“I’ve heard ‘em all, right down to 2 a.m. calls from kids … I’ve heard every Andy Reid joke there is,” said the other Andy Reid.
This one is the offensive coordinator at Bradford High, a position he holds for the Pennsy squad in Saturday night’s 46th annual Don Raabe Big 30 All-Star Charities Classic at BHS’ Parkway Field.
Pennsylvania can even the series of the former Big 30 All-Star Football Game, which New York leads, 22-21-2, for the first time in its history.
Reid, who has yet to work a BHS practice as its OC, allowed, “We’ve tried to keep guys from the same school together so there’s some continuity there.”
Sure enough, with six players from Coudersport and three each from Bradford and Warren, 60 percent of the Pennsylvania offense comes from those three schools.
For years, BHS has run a Wing-T attack, but Reid will install a bit more diverse offense this season.
“We’ll be a little more spread out and the kids are excited about it and we’re excited about it … but there are still some Wing-T roots in it,” he said. “I was fortunate to have a great group of kids to learn it so it wasn’t that much of a learning curve and they bought right into it.”
“With the roots being in the Wing-T, we need three running backs on the field at all times and we were fortunate to get five really good ones on our roster. The transition has been pretty smooth and the kids have picked it up fast.”
With 20 players, he doesn’t have two full rosters, so the three guards will play two of every three series.
Pennsy is also light one back.
“It will be a constant rotation of running backs because we’ve got so many good ones and we want to get them equal touches and carries,” Reid said.
There are only two wide receivers and they’ll alternate each snap carrying plays while the two tight ends will rotate by series.
This year, the Charities Classic has reduced the normal 11 practices to nine, but Reid sees no negative impact.
“Certainly any time you lose practices you lose the opportunity to build on the schemes you have,” he admitted. “I’ve never coached with 11 practices but I feel pretty good about the nine and think that we’ve gotten where we need to be with that number.”
Reid also hasn’t been surprised by the talent level on his unit.
“No, but I mean that in a good way,” he said. “I know most of these kids and I and the rest of the coaches knew what we were getting. When we saw the roster we were pretty excited.”
Pennsylvania’s20-player offense breaks down to two each quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends, plus five running backs and nine linemen.
The QBs are Nate Blauser (Bradford) and Mason Kelsa (Coudersport), the wideouts Issac Schloder (Coudersport) and Devin McMeans (Warren) and tight ends Alex Breindel (Elk County Catholic) and Dale Burdick (Smethport).
At running back are Donny Pattison (Bradford), Marvin Bryant (Warren), Stephen Kelly (Coudersport), Ethan Chambers (Eisenhower) and Cole Secco (Ridgway).
The nine linemen are centers Kevin Ackerman (Bradford) and Elijah Ayers (Coudersport), guards Preston Cobb (Coudersport), Parker Rohr (Ridgway) and Ben Sherry (Elk County Catholic) and tackles Devin Geitner (Cameron County), Wyatte Osborne (Coudersport), Alex Agosti (St. Marys) and Collin Salapek (Warren).
Of course, Saturday will be Reid’s first game as offensive coordinator at this level … he hasn’t even done it yet at his own high school.
“I knew this was going to be my first game calling the plays … but I’m really excited and fortunate to have a really good group of kids,” he said. “They’re helping me make this easier and I’m learning every day. It’s a positive experience I’m trying to take into our regular Bradford High season.”
