Gil was a prominent member of Commodores teams that compiled a win–loss–tie record of 26–5–3 (.797) over his four seasons, including two Southern Conference titles.

[3] "I played against Reese three years" said Billy Harkness, former Tennessee Volunteers quarterback and captain of its 1926 team, "and touched his heel once.

His freshman season opened with a 38 to 0 triumph over Middle Tennessee State, "The game being featured by the brilliant running of Gil Reese.

Reese was the widely accepted player of the game, scoring all three of Vanderbilt's touchdowns, breaking tackles and sprinting past the Texas defense.

[12] After a fumble recovery by Hek Wakefield at the 25-yard line, Reese eventually punched it in off-tackle for the game's first touchdown as Vanderbilt led 7 to 3.

[13] The second score came later after captain Jess Neely broke a streak of lethargic offense, running back a 30-yard punt return.

The first scoring drive was marked by dashes around end from Reese and powerful runs off tackle by Freddie Meiers.

[n 2] At year's end, Reese appeared on Billy Evans's Southern Honor Roll and the second team of All-Southerns chosen by Homer George, sports editor for The Atlanta Constitution.

Both Reese and Wolverine halfback Harry Kipke were "marked men";[3] and Vanderbilt's offense never crossed the 35-yard line.

[3] Reese and Doc Kuhn were said to raise fans to their feet with the showcase of speed, but the Wolverines kept it confined to sideways runs of little gain.

[21] The game versus the Tennessee Volunteers saw Vanderbilt gain 455 yards of total offense, winning 51 to 7.

"[3] Morgan Blake, sportswriter in the Atlanta Journal, wrote "No southern team has given the Georgia Bulldogs such a licking in a decade.

Running down the sideline and weaving through the rest of the defenders' missed tackles, eventually Reese was beyond them all and ran in for the score.

[23] When you say that Mr. Reese is a combination of a greyhound, rabbit, antelope, and greased pig you only mildly do this young gentleman justice.Morgan Blake says this score was what broke the Bulldogs' will.

He further lamented,"when you say that Mr. Reese is a combination of a greyhound, rabbit, antelope, and greased pig you only mildly do this young gentleman justice.

He did it running up the middle of the field,[8] and "behind great interference furnished by the entire Vanderbilt team, and especially Bomar and Kuhn.

"[23] Former Vanderbilt coach Wallace Wade, who was at the game scouting Georgia, said the Commodores that day were "the smartest I ever saw.

[n 4] Reese was the leading scorer on the Vanderbilt offense of 1923, responsible for at least 60 of the team's 137 points, on ten touchdowns.

The Commodores' second touchdown came on a 59-yard drive with a flurry of forward passes; as well as runs from Tom Ryan through the line and Gil Reese around it.

Two weeks later against Georgia, 1923 consensus All-American Lynn Bomar suffered an injury which would tragically end his career with Vanderbilt football.

A kick to the chin from a cleat gave him a severe brain hemorrhage, leaving him with half of his body paralyzed for two days.

"[29] Bomar would defy the odds and return to play football the very next year with the New York Giants in their inaugural season, leaving after 1926 from a different injury.

Vanderbilt elected to start the game with the wind at its back, hoping for an edge in punts which would lead to good field position early.

[32] The next week against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Memorial Stadium saw the first victory for Vanderbilt over a Northern school.

In the 1925 game against the Tennessee Volunteers, Reese had the longest run of the college football season up to that point, of 95 yards.

[35] Describing the most spectacular play he ever saw, Georgia Tech coach William Alexander cites one from the 1925 game against Vanderbilt.

On a muddy field, Wright ran off tackle and dodged Vanderbilt's safety Gil Reese, "usually a sure tackler", to get the touchdown to give Tech a 7 to 0 victory.

Fred Russell's Fifty Years of Vanderbilt Football stated, "Gil Reese played one of his greatest games but sobbed as he pulled off his No.

[39] The team lost the next game to the eventual tournament champion, Jack Cobb and Cartwright Carmichael led North Carolina, 37–20.

[43] Gil was the brother of baseball player Andy Reese, playing with him on the Florence Independents in Alabama.