OXFORD — For five years Carl “Bull” Reese was living a life of outdoor leisure. Some days stalking deer. Others, luring fish. But his mind always seemed to drift back to another prey.

College quarterbacks, running backs and receivers were out there running free and wild. And nobody could figure out a way to catch them.

There was Oklahoma, scoring more than 60 points in five straight games. There was Tim Tebow, passing and running his way to 42 touchdowns. Defenses were firing blanks. Nobody had an answer.

Reese wants to change all that. That’s why he’s out of retirement, hoping to bring some answers to Miami University’s defense in his 32nd year as a defensive coordinator.

“It’s the same old deal, a coach is a coach and I love football, and I deer hunted and fished long enough,” Reese said Saturday, Aug. 8, after the RedHawks finished their morning practice session. “I thought about football every day.”

In particular, he thought about the spread offense.

“The last three or four years, almost everybody on offense has had some form of it, where they’re going to spread the field. It puts a lot of stress on you,” Reese said. “Offense right now has the leg up, and we have to figure out how to get a leg up. It’s a fun challenge.”

His challenge at Miami is to pump some energy into a RedHawks unit which led the Mid-American Conference in scoring defense in 2007 and then dropped to 12th a year later.

“We tell them the No. 1 thing is to read a key and off that key to get out of control to the football,” said Reese, who also is Miami’s linebackers coach. “To make something go.”

Reese, a native of Springfield, Mo., has coached at 10 different universities since 1966.

“Like in any profession or in any field, experience is valuable,” he said. “You pay your dues and make your mistakes. Young guys bring enthusiasm. I have to make sure I have the same enthusiasm the young guys have, that I bring the same juice.

“It’s been fun,” he added. “I love defensive football and the whole idea of starting (a new defense). Before it’s over, you’ll see a good defense here.”

Then Reese, a wise man who knows much work lies ahead, grinned. “I’m not saying when.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.