Ex-Las Vegas High star Reggie Bullock named Juco football player of the year

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Monday, Dec. 20, 2010 | 5:23 p.m.

When former Las Vegas High running back Reggie Bullock didn’t qualify academically to play Division I football two years ago, the talented rusher thought his world had caved in.

He was more than ready athletically for the rigors of the next level, but was forced to settle for the junior college ranks at national power Arizona Western College in Yuma, Ariz., to get his academics in order.

It turned out to be a blessing.

Bullock on Monday was named the NJCAA Offensive Player of the Year, capping a two-year run where he dominated the junior college gridiron in gaining 3,247 yards with 43 total touchdowns.

This fall, Bullock rushed for more than 100 yards in all 12 of Arizona Western’s games to lead the nation with 1,830 yards. He also was top nationally with rushing yards per game (152.5), rushing touchdowns (20) and scoring (132 points). He added 16 receptions for 170 yards and two touchdowns.

The award was selected by the NJCAA Football Coaches Association, which selected an offensive and defensive player for the award. Defensive end Cornellius Carradine of Butler Community College was other recipient.

“Reggie is such a good football player. He sees the field so well,” Arizona Western coach Tom Minnick said. “That’s his biggest strength — he quickness and great vision.”

He led Arizona Western to consecutive Western States Football League titles and two bowl appearances. He twice earned Offensive Player of the Year honors in the league and was a First-Team NJCAA All-American selection this season after receiving Second-Team honors as a freshman.

Bullock, who is just 5-foot-9, 180-pounds, credits the success to his work in the weight room during the off-season. He missed three games last year with an injury, but came back for his sophomore season in the best shape of his life.

“It was working hard in the off-season and lifting weights that got me a lot stronger,” Bullock said. “It keep me healthy for the whole season.”

Minnick said it didn’t take long for him to realize Bullock was a special talent. Bullock rushed for 363 yards and six touchdowns in his first two college games, using an aggressive style of rushing that has become one of his strengths.

“People look at his size and think he can’t run the ball hard,” Minnick said. “But when you run the ball as hard as he does on the inside, he’ll be able to run the ball anywhere in the nation he wants to.

“That first game he played for us, he made some unbelievable plays that just left everyone saying, ‘Wow, I’m glad he’s on our side.’”

While Bullock’s accomplishments on the field have been significant, it’s the strides he’s made in the classroom that he is most proud of. Bullock said his grade point average is 2.8 and that he is three courses away from graduating.

That means he’ll finally get his chance to play at the Division I level.

“Playing college football is something I really wanted, and I know education has to come with it,” Bullock said. “I’m lucky to get a second chance. I realized education is what’s important. It’s what will be with you forever. It really just clicked for me.”

Bullock currently has scholarship offers from Utah State, North Texas, Hawaii, Arkansas State and Memphis. He is also being recruited by the likes of Oklahoma State, Illinois and Kansas State, but since he can’t enroll in January to participate in spring practice, some of the big-time programs still haven’t offered him a scholarship.

That includes UNLV.

“They don’t want to talk to me at all,” Bullock said of UNLV. “That’s kind of weird because I would listen.”

Wherever he ends up, Bullock plans to continue proving the doubters wrong — on the field, where he’s often knocked for his size, and in the classroom.

“He has three more classes to get his degree. That’s the thing we are most proud of,” Minnick said. “I’m sure the people in Vegas were thinking, ‘He’ll never get his degree, he’ll never get his degree.’ Well, he’s a great kid and great kids do great things.”