Andy Reid talks Alex Smith, Taysom Hill and BYU football


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After his playing days as an offensive lineman for BYU football, Andy Reid, head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, has gone on to have a remarkable career as a coach. In his first 14 years as an NFL head coach, Reid guided the Philadelphia Eagles to five NFC championship games and once advanced to the Super Bowl. In his first two seasons as the head guy in Kansas City, Reid has led the team to an impressive 20-12 after taking over a team that went 2-14 the year before he got there. I caught up with Coach Reid recently, and this is what he had to say.

Dylan Cannon: You're looking good, Coach. How are you feeling?

Andy Reid: I feel great. It's good to be back in camp. (Kansas City Chiefs players) have good attitudes and are running around doing their thing. I look forward to getting the veterans in here.

DC: So, I'm going to ask the question that is on every Cougar fans' mind: when are you coming back to Provo to coach?

AR: (Laughs). Well, I'll tell you what, BYU has a real good football coach there right now. I've got business to do here in Kansas City. So, I think it's a good combination for both sets of fan bases. That's how I feel.

DC: How are you feeling about your team this year?

AR: We've got a lot of work to do, but we still have a chance to be a good football team. I think the guys, the way they are wired, they attack things. The challenge of this camp will be important because you've got to build the foundation of your football team. I think we have a chance to be a good football team.

Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid watches an organized team activity on June 11, 2015, in Kansas City, Mo. He's had to get used to wearing a lot of red since coming over to the Chiefs: "I'm trying to get used to all that. I'm working through it." (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid watches an organized team activity on June 11, 2015, in Kansas City, Mo. He's had to get used to wearing a lot of red since coming over to the Chiefs: "I'm trying to get used to all that. I'm working through it." (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

DC: Your quarterback, Alex Smith, starred at the University of Utah. Do you guys rib each other about the rivalry? AR: (Laughs). Well, (the University of Utah) has a good friend of mine coaching their football team in Kyle Whittingham. So, I've kind of had to change my approach as hard as it is to like the University of Utah. But, if BYU and Utah are playing, there's a big division there — I'm bleeding blue. At the same time, now I have Alex here and he's a phenomenal kid and a great worker; very, very intelligent. We're very, very lucky to have him here in Kansas City. It's hard for me, but I'm wearing red because we're the Chiefs — we wear a lot of red. I'm trying to get used to all that. I'm working through it.

DC: How is former BYU and current Chief safety Daniel Sorensen doing?

AR: Yeah, Daniel is a good football player. He's a great person and a good football player. He had some good snaps for us last year and I think he'll do a great job. It's a very competitive position; he's one of our safeties. We've got a lot of good (safeties). He's going to have to come in and have a good camp, and he knows that. He's also a very good special teams player, which also helps his cause.

DC: What did you learn from your former head coach LaVell Edwards about coaching?

AR: Well, I think he's the greatest coach ever. I mean that's why he is in the Hall of Fame. I was very, very fortunate to have played for him. Our friendship is invaluable.

DC: When did you figure out that you wanted to be a coach?

AR: Well, he (Edwards) actually asked me if I ever thought about being a coach when I was still playing. At that time I hadn't. He's the one that kind of led me in that direction. I took a look at it. He gave me an opportunity to be a graduate assistant up there after I was done playing. I loved it. So, that's the direction I headed.

DC: How much do you follow BYU football nowadays?

AR: Listen, if they are on TV, I don't miss it. If I can get them on the radio, I listen to them on the radio. I try to stay in tune with them.

BYU quarterback Taysom Hill tries to evade a tackle against Utah State on Oct. 4, 2014. Hill, who will be a senior for the Cougars, will "probably have an opportunity" to play pro football, Kansas City coach Andy Reid said. (Photo: Jeffrey D. Allred/Deseret News)
BYU quarterback Taysom Hill tries to evade a tackle against Utah State on Oct. 4, 2014. Hill, who will be a senior for the Cougars, will "probably have an opportunity" to play pro football, Kansas City coach Andy Reid said. (Photo: Jeffrey D. Allred/Deseret News)

DC: What do you think about Cougar quarterback Taysom Hill? AR: I think he's a competitive guy; very talented, very competitive guy. He does a heck of a job with that offense. He's got a phenomenal offensive coordinator in Robert Anae. He's a good quarterback.

DC: Do you think he has pro potential?

AR: I think he will probably give it a shot, yeah. I mean, he'll probably have an opportunity to do that. He needs to stay healthy through this year and have a good year. There's a chance that if he puts everything together he might have an opportunity there.

DC: How do you think BYU is going to do this year with a difficult schedule?

AR: I think they'll do well. It looks like they've got a good unit back and they're happy to have their quarterback back and healthy. BYU is always going to be right in there. They do a great job of recruiting. They've got good kids that have a lot of strong values and work very hard. They are always going to have an opportunity to compete and have positive seasons. Dylan Cannon is a regular KSL.com contributor and can be reached at DylanCannon86@gmail.com or via Twitter @DylanCannon11. Listen to his weekly podcast, "Cougar Talk," on iTunes.

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