Bodani: At least these Lions can rely on Reid

He intently walked through the sea of bodies on the field after this most important victory was complete.

John Reid gave hugs and got them, mostly because he played football at Philadelphia's St. Joseph's Prep and he had just owned a big part in helping beat those Temple Owls. He knew a lot of those players and their coaches. He made his rounds without any kind of bravado, without even much of a smile. He looked like he had just sealed a business deal.

This is his way to absorb the moment and celebrate, if you will.

This most curious Nittany Lion is quickly developing into an anchor for a hard-to-handle team that's flooring it on offense while just trying to hang on with defense.

It's not always easy to know what to think of John Reid, either. He's a studious, keep-to-himself engineering major off the field; a confident, even flashy cornerback and punt returner on it.

If Penn State is going to compete throughout with a heavyweight like Michigan on Saturday, a handful of players like Reid must pull the rest of this growing, injury-decimated team with them.

Even when Reid was one of the hottest recruits out of of Philly he came with a reputation for studying football game film for hours on end in hopes of fine-tuning his play and gaining an advantage on the opposition.

He's taken all of that to another level at Penn State.

"He's young but so mature. He' always watching film. He's a little Brainiac. He's always in his books and doing the right thing," said senior safety Malik Golden, who broke into a big smile as he talked.

"He thinks he's the smartest guy on the defense. ... He's just confident, man."

Reid certainly plays every bit like that. He learned on the fly last year, seeing increased time at cornerback as a true freshman. Nothing seemed to intimidate one of the smaller players on the field.

His impact has only grown this fall so far, and it's been much more crucial. He came out of nowhere to nail down the punt returning job, and already is the Lions' first fearless, dangerous returner in nearly a decade. He's come close to breaking two or three returns for touchdowns.

He's still learning his craft as a defensive back but possesses elite coverage skills. His late interception Saturday preserved a Penn State victory.

See the way he shakes and jukes defenders on returns, almost daring them? The way he drapes a receiver like he owns him — then goes right back at him even after a glaring mistake?

"Off the field he's not like that. He's very calm and cool," Golden said. "If you get to know John, it's like, 'That's you on the field?'"

And that is needed more than ever for a defense that somehow held its own last weekend while missing five starters for nearly the entire game and two more for a significant stretch.

An already thin defense that was going to have to gradually grow itself even before this chaos.

A defense missing all three starting linebackers? There's no clue if any of them will be ready for the start of Big Ten play or beyond, including Reid's fellow cornerback Grant Haley.

The key is finding leadership and support in those who elevate themselves in such situations. Like the kid who "built a computer from scratch" in high school and continues to astonish teammates with his love of dissecting game film.

The one who looks like he's going to grab a hold of an outcome, sooner than later, and decide it all by himself. The one who's confidence and work ethic must flow into others.

That's the only way you stand a chance when visiting the No. 4 Michigan Wolverines in their house.

"It's clear that John Reid knows what the offense is going to do before they do sometimes," said Penn State defensive tackle Parker Cothren. "That's why he's always in the right position."

And is needed now more than ever.