Reeder was home for winter break and told Reeder that he was thinking about coming back home to play at Delaware, Delaware immediately vaulted to number one on Reeder’s list. Reeder and Reeder made the decision to come to Delaware almost simultaneously. He went on to play two seasons in the NFL with the Los Angeles Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers. His father, Danny Reeder, was a captain of the 1984 Delaware team as a fullback and linebacker. “Since I was a baby my parents have been taking me here, they’ve been season ticket holders for way longer than I’ve been alive, so it’s cool.” “I always loved Delaware, because I’ve been around it my whole life,” Reeder said. Reeder, the 2015 Delaware Gatorade High School Player of the Year, was no stranger to Delaware Stadium when he made his collegiate debut earlier this season. “It’s really a compliment that I’m starting to get a hang of things.” “In nickel I’ll pass rush, in dime I’ll cover, so they put me out there so they don’t have to change any personnel because I can do both,” Reeder said. Once a rotational player, Reeder now rarely comes off the field. Reeder changed sides from the “Bandit” outside linebacker role to the “Kat”, which often put the former high school safety closer to the line of scrimmage. An opportunity arose when last year’s team leader in sacks, Jasawn Thompson, was unexpectedly ruled academically ineligible in August. Reeder, the team leader in tackles for a loss (6.0), was once not expected to be an opening-night starter. “Some of them are done somewhat subtly, that maybe doesn’t catch everyone’s eye and other things are done with great explosion and flare.”
“Reeder continues to do some really, really good things,” Head Coach Danny Rocco said. Instead, the Blue Hens’ defense made a goal line stand. Had the kick been made, Stony Brook could have kicked a field goal on their final drive to push the game to overtime. His most impactful play though came on special teams when he blocked a second quarter extra point attempt.
Reeder followed that performance with an eight-tackle game at Stony Brook. Against the Dukes, Reeder recorded two and a half tackles for a loss, and chased down Dukes running back Trai Sharp from behind to make a touchdown-saving tackle. Reeder has tallied five tackles or more in each of his last four games, dating back to his breakout performance against James Madison. “The more I play, the more comfortable I’m getting.” “As a freshman, it takes a little time to adjust to the speed and physicality,” Reeder said. This year, however, the brothers, who both graduated from nearby Salesianum, are back to making plays together. Last year as a true freshman, Reeder sat idly by as T. Reeder transferred from Penn State, where he started every game as a redshirt freshman, to join Reeder, who turned down offers from Illinois, Syracuse and Miami to come to Delaware. Reeder calls it “a little Thursday tradition” and it’s been that way since the brothers reunited at Delaware a year ago. It’s their last chance to hit before Saturday’s game. Their teammates slowly file off the field as they begin to trade blows. As day turns to night and the final huddle breaks at the Delaware practice fields, Troy Reeder grabs a pad and pulls his younger brother, Colby Reeder, off to the side.
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