Pflugerville (Tx.) running back Joseph Reese (6-2, 190, 4.4) denies a leader but said he favors Texas, Nebraska, USC, Oklahoma and Texas A&M. He claims all have offered, except the Trojans.
"I really like Texas. They have a good history of running backs," said Reese, from Hendrickson High School. "Everyone dreams about playing for the Longhorns. I went to their junior day last month and Coach (Mack) Brown called my dad and my brother (Arizona signee/wide receiver Terrell Reese) and me into his office and told me that I had a full scholarship there if I wanted it. It's also really close to home, about five minutes away, which is important to me.
"I'm looking at Texas A&M too. I'm going to a spring game their on April 8 and I went to junior day there last month," said the Scout.com four-star running back. "I just talked to Coach (Dennis) Franchione yesterday. I hadn't talked with them for a while because I've been busy moving. He was worried that I had forgot about them. I said I hadn't forgot about them at all. I really like their program. They are definitely building a powerhouse at A&M. Also, I have family that live close to the school, so there would be people to keep me in check, for sure."
Reese is also looking at Nebraska, Oklahoma and USC. "I don't know much about Nebraska," Reese said. "They were the first to offer me my sophomore year. They've sent me a lot of stuff. I told them that I would read it all so I could learn more about them. When I talked to the coaches, they were really positive about me going there. They said I could see early play-time, which is important to me. They are like A&M, a real powerhouse that is getting better every year. I have an uncle who lives in Omaha so I'm going to take an official visit there for sure.
"I really like Oklahoma a lot too. I've been there a few times for basketball and I really like the whole atmosphere there," Reese said. "It's a really fun place to be. I talked with Coach (Bobby Jack) Wright a few times. He told my (high school) coach that I had an offer to go there. They have good running backs there. I watched them a lot growing up because they're my dad's favorite team. We'd watch my cousin, Derrick Straight, who now plays corner for the New York Jets, when he played for OU.
"I'm looking at USC too. I don't have an offer from them, but I wouldn't mind getting one. They've sent me a lot of mail, but I haven't talked to them yet. I really like their history of running backs too. I saw them play Texas and was really impressed. They have such a presence on the field. I'm looking to stay closer to home, but if USC came in with an offer, that would change."
Reese said also has offers from LSU, Arizona and Clemson. "My brother (Terrell) is going to Arizona, so they're really pushing hard," Reese said. "The fact that my brother is there isn't a big deal to me. It's not going to influence my decision. Right now, Arizona isn't really a big threat."
Reese said he doesn't plan on making a rush decision. He wants to take official visits to Nebraska, USC and Oklahoma and attend a few summer camps and combines. "I went to the Scout.com combine last weekend in Waco (Texas) and I want to do a few more things this summer, but it's all about distance as far as camps go," he said. "They have to be close to home for me to go. I probably will attend the A&M and UT camps for sure.
"A big thing I would like is to go to a school where I could make an big impact early," Reese said. "I am fast. I run outside and almost nobody catches me. I really have clear vision. This summer I plan to work on getting bigger. I need to work at spotting the holes more, being more versatile."
Reese only played half a season last year when he sustained a shoulder injury during his fifth game (all non-district). He said that the doctors have cleared him and he's ready for the season to start. "The doctors who operated on my shoulder told me that it's better than it was before. I'm ready to go."
Final junior stats (five games): 600 rushing yards/15 TDs.
Reese reports a 3.0 core GPA/May first time SAT.