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AJC College Sports Recruiting

CB Riggs says long trip to UGA was worth the trouble

11:00 am October 6, 2009, by Chip Towers

For the last three hours you’ve played the biggest game of your life. You’ve broken up a pass, blocked a field goal, made a couple of tackles and fought off cramps on a hot and humid night. Your No. 1-ranked St. Thomas Aquinas team has just knocked off the No. 2-ranked team in the nation in Byrnes. So what do you do?

If you’re Cody Riggs, you pile into a van and make the 10-hour drive from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., to Athens, Ga.

That was the scenario this past Friday for this Top-10 rated cornerback, who came to the University of Georgia for an official visit this past weekend.

“We left right after the game and drove,” said Riggs, a 5-foot-9, 165-pound senior. “It wasn’t that bad for me. I slept the whole time.”

Riggs made the journey with his mother, stepfather and aunt. He said they got on the road about 1 a.m. and pulled up to Georgia’s Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall about 10:30 a.m. That’s actually pretty good time for the 655-mile journey up Interstate 75.

“We might’ve stopped, I have no idea,” Riggs said with a laugh.

It was well worth the trouble, Riggs insisted.

“It was a lot of fun,” Riggs said. “We watched the game and the atmosphere was incredible. We talked to the coaches, hung out with the players, checked out the campus. It was great.”

Riggs said the fact that No. 18 Georgia lost to No. 4 LSU 20-13 with a controversial ending didn’t damper the experience.

“That doesn’t matter at all to me to be honest,” he said. “Everybody’s going to lose games now and then. It’s how you handle a loss that matters.”

After the game, Riggs said Richt “told the players that game doesn’t define their season. He said they still can win the SEC East.”

Riggs said the players managed to show him a good time Saturday night even after the bitter defeat. “Despite being down they all came up to me and talked to me and told me they wanted me to come there,” he said.

Asked where Georgia stood after the visit, Riggs was somewhat non-commital. He said it didn’t move the Bulldogs up or down because, “they’re already in my Top 3.”

But Riggs wouldn’t reveal which three schools those were. He only repeated what were his top five choices: Florida, Georgia, Notre Dame, Tennessee and Florida State. But he said rumors that he was a silent lean to an in-state school were false.

“That’s definitely not true,” he said emphatically. “Georgia’s one of my top schools. I’ve always liked Georgia. I could see myself playing there.”

Riggs has already visited Tennessee (Sept. 12), will go Notre Dame on Oct. 17 for the Southern Cal game and will visit Florida State on Nov. 28. A final decision, he said, probably won’t come until some time after the season.

Riggs is ranked the No. 5 cornerback in the nation by Rivals, No. 7 by Scout and No. 8 by ESPN. He happens to be teammates and friends with cornerback Lamarcus Joyner, who is 2, 2 and 1 in those rankings and is also considering Georgia. So are they hoping to end up at the same place?

“It wouldn’t matter if we ended up at the same place but that’s not something we’re thinking about,” Riggs said. “He has a decision to make and I have a decision to make.”

Riggs should have had plenty of time to think about it on that drive back to South Florida (see map below). While he was awake at least.
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38 comments Add your comment

VolNation

October 6th, 2009
11:04 am

Lets see…playing for Willie Martinez or playing for Monte Kiffin, tough choice.

Kendawg

October 6th, 2009
11:21 am

After seeing what our coaching staff is not doing with talented players, I would question why any talented player would even consider UGA with our current coaching staff.

GATOR CHOMP

October 6th, 2009
11:21 am

GATOR LOCK BOOK IT

Calhoundawg

October 6th, 2009
11:34 am

You’re absolutely correct, VolNation. Play for the SEC East and go to a bowl game every year or sit at home and watch the bowl games with a losing record. Just like you, its a no-brainer.

Shards1967

October 6th, 2009
11:36 am

This is EXACTLY the UGA problem. Kevin Butler said it on his WSB radio talk show Saturday night. He said that while walking along the pre game sidelines of most UGA games of late, ( not just LSU ) that he noticed how “small UGA palyers are” when compared to the opponent. See?

Who needs yet another 5′9′ corner??? He is probably 5′7″ and think of Charles Scott’s run bulldozing our corner back? and running over folks on his TD run. Geeeeeeeeeeeez. 5′9″ ???? I for one have had enough of itty bitty corners that get beat deep and cannot fricking tackle!!!

GeoffDawg

October 6th, 2009
12:03 pm

Let’s see…..playing for Mark Richt or Lane Kiffin? Kiffin is just like Spurrier without the charm or success so it’s really a toss up.

GeoffDawg

October 6th, 2009
12:03 pm

Thanks for that insight Gator Chump. You’ve added a lot to the discussion.

Herman Archie

October 6th, 2009
12:12 pm

Will Kiffen even be in Knoxville next year? I hate UT but I feel sorry that they have to accept “close losses” as a win… Lame was POed he couldn’t try to go for 2 and make the Auburn loss look a little closer.

getthepicturenow

October 6th, 2009
12:17 pm

who are you watching shards? you’re claiming to be a uga grad? did you miss our true freshman cb, Branden Smith, stop Brandon Laffell stone cold on a 3rd and 4 for no gain on the sideline???? can’t freaking tackle? gimme a break. we need this young man to complete our recruiting class. We lose Prince Miller this year and need solid athletes to fill the holes. I sure hope Mr. Riggs doesn’t read ignorant comments like these from ill-informed fans.

DaveMac007

October 6th, 2009
12:23 pm

If he does pick the dawgs over the Vols… at least we would put together a better heisman video for him than the Eric Berry one on Youtube going now… Weak! I mean… Eric Berry… Eric Berry! Dawgs will whoop up on the orange and white Saturday. Like GatorChomp… Book it!

Vol of reason

October 6th, 2009
12:26 pm

Calhoundog, you shouldn’t give up on your season so soon. I wondered which coach would fill Fulmer’s shoes as coach that settles his team in mediocrity. It’s clear that Richt is that man minus 200 pounds. LOL!

Ted Striker

October 6th, 2009
12:28 pm

Glad to see his interest in UGA. I’ve made that drive. Props to them for that. Although if they ever do it again, I highly suggest stopping at Waffle House or IHOP.

McDawg

October 6th, 2009
12:40 pm

what kind of grades?

Albert the Alligator

October 6th, 2009
12:56 pm

You know Florida is in his top 3 Dawg fans. Joyner’s leaning Florida too.

DontgetOurhopesup

October 6th, 2009
1:01 pm

Catholic High School = Catholic College. He’s going to Notre Dame.

DontgetOurhopesup

October 6th, 2009
1:02 pm

Hopefully Meyer will pack up and go with him, that dude needs to get out of the SEC and give someone else a chance.

Flo-Ri-Duh!

October 6th, 2009
1:03 pm

Rigg’s size is not the primary concern…. Tim Jennings was about his size when he came to UGA and now he is starting for the NFL Colts. and is playing very well. Jennings cound really get up to cover passes – that is the key. UGA wants Riggs bad and with all the turmoil and depth chart at Florida State he may very weel be a DAWG.

George O'Leary

October 6th, 2009
3:17 pm

We have free Scotch in Tampa!!!

THE FIRST DAWGPOUND

October 6th, 2009
4:11 pm

joyner is going to ohio state

RomeDawg

October 6th, 2009
4:36 pm

He would be a fine addition! Aren’t the best corners in the NFL small, but fast? There is a bonus to being a Vol, your bowl, if any, would be over by Christmas and you could spend the holidays at home, not having to prepare for a “after New Years” bowl game like UGA.

hammerhead

October 6th, 2009
4:55 pm

Hey George O’Leary – lay off the scotch… You’re actually in Orlando!

Einsteindawg

October 6th, 2009
5:25 pm

I thought we had learned our lesson about signing short DBs………….
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results.

Johnny DangerDawg

October 6th, 2009
6:09 pm

GeoffDawg,
Playing for Lane Kiffin would be tough because his wife is so hot. Most players will probably get caught staring/drooling, and then it’s just gonna be awkward whenever you’re around Lane after that.

SuperB

October 6th, 2009
6:22 pm

Hey Mr. Vol: Wanna bet Lane Kiffin doesn’t make it through the cornerback’s career? I bet Martinez is at Georgia long after the Kiffin Circus has been run out of Knox Vegas!

Chad

October 6th, 2009
6:28 pm

If he can cover and Tackle who cares how tall he is. He makes plays now or he would not be rated so highly..

Recruiting Info with Video: http://www.squidoo.com/FootballRecruiting2010

BS Patrol

October 6th, 2009
7:03 pm

As for me, I support ga signing 5-9 165 cornerbacks.

ReptilesRule

October 6th, 2009
7:40 pm

I’m glad to hear Cody is enjoying his free trips! HAHA

Courtney

October 6th, 2009
7:55 pm

Monte Kiffin will be retired by February. (Wish W. Martinez would join him)

Gator in the Hootch

October 6th, 2009
8:02 pm

Riggs was beaten on almost every play the other night on TV. I was not impressed. I was impressed with Joyner. He is big time. But I think Joyner is heading out of state to Ohio State.

AltamahaDawg

October 6th, 2009
8:35 pm

CHIP>>>any chance you will get to cover the BBall team some? I miss you forcing the blog to turn it’s attention towards it every now and then.

MtnDawg

October 6th, 2009
9:53 pm

Out of curiosity, if you issue a statement wanting to fire Mark Richt…
1) Who would you hire?
2) What year did you graduate from UGA?

I am wondering about the demographics of people who don’t support him, along with their logic as to who they think would do better.

MtnDawg

October 6th, 2009
9:54 pm

Personally, I support him 100%.

UGA 2006

dawes

October 6th, 2009
11:27 pm

cory riggs and jef luc and come to athens ga we need your please and mr jeffcoat from texas come to athens we need you please

The Alpha Male

October 7th, 2009
8:39 am

LOL! Monte Kiffin is 109 yrs .old and could keel over tomorrow…… yeah, that’s a lock.

shawn

October 7th, 2009
4:35 pm

Gator in the Hooch is right (on both accounts).

Joyner is a legit 5 star prospect and future 1st rd pick heading to Ohio State. Riggs is OK. Joyner is special.

Tampa CB Mitchell: ‘I’m liking Georgia a lot right now’ | AJC College Sports Recruiting

October 8th, 2009
5:25 am

[...] four-star cornerback Cody Riggs of Ft. Lauderdale gave the Bulldogs very high marks after his official visit last weekend. Then I talked to four-star corner Terrence Mitchell of Tampa yesterday and he was basically raving [...]

The Real SugarHillDawg

October 12th, 2009
6:54 pm

This guy is EXACTLY what we need, an underweight midget for a cornerback! If Florida and Alabama want him, then go after him!!!

dawg

November 13th, 2009
6:36 pm

georgia need taller cb