Reve wants to win at UCF

Jermaine Reve was one of the first players to commit to UCF earlier this summer, but that didn't stop other schools from recruiting the Miami (Fla.) Northwestern defensive back. Reve recently drove up to Orlando for another visit and put any rumors to rest that he was looking around.

"My visit to UCF was great," Reve said. "That was the first time coming up with my mom. She was able to see the campus. That was really my first time seeing the campus because when I was there in the spring I really only saw the athletic facilities. I really got to see the campus and all the different things about the school this time and not just football.

"I got to tour everything. Me and my mom saw everything up there at UCF. I got a chance to actually meet all the coaches. I got a chance to get around the facility and meet some new people. I saw a lot of things. It was me preparing to really be an athlete at UCF."

Reve was impressed with everything he saw.

"UCF is a nice campus," he said. "It's very big, I can tell you that. It's a very big campus. Going around the tour, one of my tour guides told me about the waterfall place where every homecoming or something the fans hop in the water with the team (Spirit Splash). He was telling me about that. I saw all the different buildings for the different majors, things like that. I saw the food places and everything. I got around the whole campus to see everything. That was what my tour was about."

Mom was a big fan too.

"She loved it," Reve said. "She got up there and saw the campus, then got a chance to grill the coaches with thousands of questions. That was good for her."

Reve has had the most contact with his recruiter, UCF assistant head coach David Kelly, but the visit provided an opportunity to get to know the other coaches as well, including head coach George O'Leary.

"That was great," Reve said. "I got a chance to see that Coach Kelly is not the only one with a lot of humor at UCF. Coach O'Leary is a great man. He was watching game film in his office when I came in to meet him. He showed me what he does in his office and how he watches practice (on film).

"And Coach (Sean) Beckton, he was telling me about the things he plans to do with me when I get to UCF. It was great to meet with the coaches."

Reve was initially recruited to play safety, but he was told he may be better suited at another position.

"They actually told me they were thinking about trying me at cornerback because of my frame and my long arms," Reve said. "They know the weight my body is going to put on, so they're thinking about moving me. Free safety is a natural position for me, but it's a great thing. I'm excited. I always wanted to play corner a little bit. I guess I'll have my chance at the next level to do it."

Reve was able to talk to a few players before practice. He knows many of UCF's Miami players and says he still texts former Northwestern teammate Torrian Wilson on a regular basis.

"I know all the Central players-- Joshua Reese and Jeffrey Godfrey," Reve said. "I played against them. I talked to them and one of the big (McCray) twins from Southridge. I met one of them for the first time."

USF, FIU and Syracuse had also offered Reve at the time of his commitment this past June and Rutgers continued to heavily recruit him, urging him to attend one of their summer camps in New Jersey.

"I'm still solid with the Knights," Reve said. "A lot of schools have been coming in lately. Let me say I have not been in contact, but they're trying to get in contact with me. I got an offer from Cincinnati. They're the latest one. Western Michigan and Western Kentucky also offered. The coaches from North Carolina and South Carolina are e-mailing me. Rutgers says the offer is on its way. But I'm still committed to UCF."

Reve may return to Orlando soon to catch a game inside Bright House Networks Stadium.

"My UCF family loves me and they want me to come up for home games," Reve said. "If I have a chance, I'll attend. It doesn't matter though. I'll be graduating early, so I'll be on campus in that December/January time. It won't be long before I'm there."

He already has goals in mind when he gets to UCF.

"I want to have a great career with safety or corner," Reve said. "Wherever I'm at, a personal goal would be to lead the team in interceptions. That would be my goal, to lead the team in interceptions for my four years in college. I would like to win bowl games. I'm a winner and I come from a winning program in high school. I would like to continue winning, so that's my team goal."

Northwestern is one of the nation's top high school programs and they've won several state championships in the past decade. The Bulls are currently ranked No. 1 in the statewide Class 6A poll and they're a consensus top 10 team nationally.

Reve said their focus is to win it again in 2010 - Central ousted Northwestern from the playoffs last season and they lost in the 2008 title game to Sanford-Seminole. Their last championship came in 2007.

"Every year we have the team to win it," Reve said. "We have to do it ourselves. This camp is going so great. We have talent on the offensive side of the ball. We have talent with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and he's making me become better by making me work harder. This year I'm a true free safety in our defense. We have good receivers that can stretch the field.

"On the defensive side of the ball, we've got great young people who are willing to listen and learn. We should have a great season. We should be 2010 6A State Champions. We've got to win it this year."

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