Louisville Receiving Core Handling Adversity Amid Tragic Losses
The receiving core for Louisville Football has dealt with more than practices being canceled and facilities closed this spring due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Dexter Rentz Jr., who signed for the program in December, was killed in a shooting in his home state of Florida. Corey Reed Jr., a junior wide receiver, lost his father to coronavirus in March.
“It’s one of those things that when it touches you, you don’t really understand it from afar, but when it touches you that way, all of a sudden it hits home real quick,” wide receivers coach Gunter Brewer said.
Brewer said Rentz had a magnetic personality with an infectious smile. Rentz signed to play for Louisville from Ocoee High School near Orlando.
Rentz was a three-star prospect that was recruited as a slot receiver for the Cardinals. At 5-foot-9, 164 pounds, he had almost 2,000 receiving yards in his high school career.
“He didn’t come from a whole lot, but he had a very loving family, he had people that cared about him, not only his coach, but obviously mom, dad, brother,” Brewer said.
Rentz had been on Louisville’s campus several times and was known well by the freshman class, Brewer said.
Due to guidelines set in place to curb the spread of COVID-19, Brewer and Louisville’s coaching staff were unable to attend the funeral. Former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal announced he would cover all the funeral expenses for the family.
Reed returned to Louisville this spring after playing at Iowa Western Community College. The 6-foot-3 receiver’s father passed away in an Atlanta hospital in late March.
“He is handling it better than I would,” Brewer said. “Young people have a way of being very resilient and fighting through things. We have given him as much help as we can.”
Reed played in 13 games as a true freshman while appearing in two games as a sophomore in 2018. He left Louisville in search of playing time, Brewer said.
Brewer said it’s good to have Reed back with the receiving core.
“He had a really good spring, his attitude was great,” Brewer said. “He can play various places.”
