LOGAN, Utah – Bodie Reeder knew at an early age that he was destined to be a football coach, admitting he couldn't farm, weld or drive a big rig.
 
He loved the game of football, though, and relished the chance to teach it. After his playing days were over – he was a quarterback at Eastern Illinois from 2006-09 – Reeder became a graduate assistant at his alma mater, where he coached in 2010 and 2011, working with the defensive backs.
 
Ten years later, Reeder is now in his first season as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Utah State, officially joining the program in January.
 
Reeder joined the Aggies after serving as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at both North Texas (2019) and Eastern Washington (2017-18). Reeder also spent three seasons (2014-16) as an offensive quality control coach at Oklahoma State and four seasons (2011-14) as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Wisconsin-Stout.

As the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at North Texas this past season, the Mean Green averaged 30.3 points and ranked 27th nationally and second in Conference USA in passing yards per game (283.3). UNT also led C-USA with 33 touchdown passes, which ranked 15th nationally, while its points per game average was the fourth-best in the league.

As the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Eastern Washington, Reeder helped the Eagles reach the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) title game in 2018 after winning the Big Sky Conference championship. That year, EWU averaged 528.2 yards and 43.1 points per game to rank third and fourth in the nation at the FCS level, respectively.
 
In 2017, EWU was eighth in the FCS in passing (320.5 per game), fifth in total offense (476.7), 14th in scoring (34.5 points per game) and 11th in third down conversions (46.1 percent).

During the 2018 campaign, the Eagles set a school record with 623 points, which included six games of at least 50 points scored. Furthermore, Eastern Washington produced at least 600 yards of total offense five times that season and set school records with 3,839 yards rushing (255.9 ypg) and 41 rushing touchdowns.
 
We recently caught up with Reeder for a Q&A.
 
Q: What have your first few months on the job been like?
 
Reeder: It was a whirlwind to begin with because I got hired, flew out, met the staff, then immediately went out recruiting. It was a unique situation, but the guys prepped me well. Really, you don't have to be in Logan for very long to understand what you're recruiting to. This is a great community and a family-type atmosphere, and obviously a tradition-rich program and a great head coach. I really like the community, I can't wait to get my family here and dive in. It feels like a place that we can make home.
 
Q: Why was Utah State the right fit for you and your family?
 
Reeder: We really fell in love with the west the first time we were out here when we were in Washington, and we were excited to get back out to this part of the country and work for a guy like coach (Gary) Andersen. I revere what he's done, and his core values really match up with mine. He values the student-athlete over everything, and that's what I care about, as well. I love the kids, I love being around the kids, so I thought it was a great fit. Then, getting to meet the staff, I knew there were some people that I could gel with really well.
 
Q: What does it mean to you when you hear coach Andersen say that he will never hire someone who won't put the kids first?
 
Reeder: You don't have to know him for very long to know that he means it. I don't want to say it's forced, but it's demanded that, that is how it is and I appreciate that. Coach realizes that this is a special time in these kids' lives and they don't get to do this for forever – it's a four- or five-year experience, so we need to make it special for them. It's not all puppy dogs and rainbows, it's holding them accountable, and above all else, coach wants to build men. That's why you put them first, their needs and their well-being is not all charity. It's holding them accountable so that they can grow in the right way.
 
Q: What got you into coaching?
 
Reeder: I've always known I wanted to coach. I can't farm, don't know how to weld and can't drive big trucks. This is what I was going to do. I love the game and I was an average player, but I was always thinking about the game. I had a really enjoyable college experience and my coaches made it fun, and I could really see myself doing it."
 
Q: What made your college playing career so enjoyable?
 
Reeder: My head football coach, Bob Spoo, had been there for a really long time. He's the all-time winningest coach there. He built a program that was about the players, as well. I've always enjoyed interacting with my coaches.
 
Q: When did you first meet Coach A?
 
Reeder: On my interview.
 
Q: What had you heard about him?
 
Reeder: I had met coach (TJ) Woods before. I had met coach (Justin) Ena and coach (Stacy) Collins before. I had just heard what a stand-up guy he is. I have really been lucky and have worked for great head coaches, but not everyone is that fortunate to have someone that is going to look you in the eye and tell you the truth, whether good or bad. As long as people know what to expect when they come into the office, that makes their working environment a lot easier and better. I had heard that he's great for the players, great for the coaches and he wants to win.
 
Q: How long after your interview did it take for him to offer you the job?
 
Reeder: I interviewed on a Tuesday, flew back on Wednesday, flew to Nashville for the National Coaches Convention on Friday and he offered it to me on Sunday.
 
Q: Did you have to talk it over with your wife, or had you discussed whether you would accept it beforehand?
 
Reeder: Once we had taken the interview, we were in.
 
Q: What can Aggie fans expect to see from the offense this fall?
 
Reeder: First of all, it'll be different. We're not going to go as fast. We're going to go fast, but not as often. We'll have the ability to change speeds, I guess is the way to put it. We're still going to be up-tempo, but have the ability to put the brakes on. We'll probably use more tight ends than what they had used last year. I have a lot of respect for what coach (Mike) Sanford did. I have met coach Sanford and studied with him. I can only do what I know, and hopefully, we'll be fun to watch.
 
Q: Utah State has been to eight bowl games in the past nine seasons. How are the Aggies viewed from an outside perspective?
 
Reeder: You don't want to play them. That's been the case ever since Coach A was here the first time. You don't want to play those guys. They're tough, and they'll wear you down, and they have a tremendous atmosphere. I haven't experienced a game here, but everyone talks about games here around the country."
 
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