By Will Vandervort.

By Will Vandervort

CLEMSON — It appears Dabo Swinney has found the man to replace Charlie Harbison as his defensive backs coach, he just can’t say who it is.

During his last press conference with the media Friday, Swinney said he is really excited about the direction they are going with the new defensive backs coach and that he will be a “great guy” to have on board.

That guy appears to be NC State secondary coach Mike Reed. The Clemson Insider.com learned this morning Reed was offered the job, and we later confirmed he accepted the position.

Swinney is not allowed to comment on any personnel decisions at this time until Reed is officially announced as the new defensive backs coach, which is not expected to happen until after the Holidays. Clemson will not be able to do a background check, which is a requirement before any new hires are approved, until Jan. 2.

“The only thing I can tell you is that I’m really excited about the direction we are going to go in,” Swinney said. “There is a process that you have to honor and respect from a university standpoint before I can make any type of comment or official hires or anything like that.

“I do think we are going to have a great guy on board, hopefully sooner than later. He will be a great fit for us and a great fit for our players.”

Swinney says the new defensive backs coach will be approved before the coaches are allowed to get back on the road for recruiting, which is the second week in January. Right now, they are currently in a dead-period for recruiting.

Reed is known to be a very good recruiter. He has coached both safeties and cornerbacks. NC State led the ACC in third down defense this past season.

“As soon as I can make any further comments, I will,” Swinney said.

At NC State, Reed coached David Amerson, a 2011 Thorpe Award finalist. Amerson was also first-team All-ACC and won the Jack Tatum Award.

Amerson set a new NC State and ACC records with 13 interceptions, only one off the national record of 14. He also oversaw a unit that picked off a school-record 27 interceptions in 2011.

In 2008, the NC State defensive backfield intercepted a dozen passes, leading the team to 18 total picks to tie for 15th nationally. In 2007, the Wolfpack defense ranked 25th nationally in passing efficiency defense.

Before his time at NC State, Reed coached for the Philadelphia Eagles, where he coached former Clemson standout Brian Dawkins, who is considered by some to be the best safety to have ever played the game.

Reed was part of a staff at Philadelphia that advanced to the NFC Championship game in 2002, 2003 and 2004, and then to the Super Bowl in 2004. The Eagles’ defense sent five players to the Pro Bowl in 2002, four players in 2004 and two more in 2006 and finished second in the league in points allowed (16.3) in 2004.

As a player, Reed was a captain at Boston College in 1994, where he was a first-team All-ECAC performer and second-team All-Big East performer in 1993. A seventh-round draft pick, he was Mr. Irrelevant of the 1995 NFL Draft. He was a team captain of NFL Europe’s Frankfurt Galaxy during the 1999 World Bowl Championship team.

Before his time in Philadelphia, Reed coached at Richmond for two years (2000-’01) where he coached wide receivers, tight ends and defensive backs.