Back on January 10th, 2020 IMG Academy DE/DT Tre'von Riggins made his commitment official and pledged to the Miami Hurricanes. Just two weekends ago, he was out at the Opening Miami Regional working on his game and trying to get an invite to Oregon. How’d that go?
“My goal was just really to get exposure. My performance today… I felt like I can get better,” Riggins said. “I plan on playing defensive tackle this year, moving inside in the trenches, getting stronger, working on my hands, and just getting quicker off the ball, using my size, getting low and all that. I felt like I played pretty good out here today and I’m also planning on being at the Orlando Regional Opening camp.”
As a rising junior, Riggins has plenty of time until he moves on to the next level. With that time, he plans on getting even bigger and better, starting this summer.
“I have a lot of plans; I have to get better, cause I’m getting bigger. When I got to IMG, I was 230, now I’m 280, so they put a lot of weight on me. Our situation right now, we don’t have a lot of D-tackles, so coach wanted me to get bigger so I can play on the interior. I’m just going to camps, working on my craft, getting better for the season.”
Riggins has actually played defensive end the majority of his career, so the position switch to the inside will be a new experience for him. He said, as of now, Miami still wants him at end.
“I’m just growing into it. I’m tall, but I can move at D-End. That’s the thing, when I came here (IMG) they wanted me to play D-tackle. I’m big, but I can move with it. But they’re great coaches, they know what they doing. I didn’t want to be disrespectful, so I just went along with it and did what they asked me to do, came out and performed.”
Riggins recorded 13 tackles and 4 sacks in his sophomore season getting rotational minutes on a stacked IMG defensive line. He’s watched and learned, but now Riggins is ready to take on a bigger role next season as a junior.
“My playing time was low (this year) and my production was good, we was loaded. I got to learn from Xavier Thomas, Nolan Smith, Taron Vincent, just a lot of great guys on the front,” Riggins said. “Coach Logan, the D-Line coach, he brought me in young, wanted to get me ready, wanted to get me experience just watching and learning from the older guys. Just getting me prepared for this season, I plan on playing a big role next year. This is really my time to shine. The coaches are giving me the opportunity, I just gotta go out there and play.”
Even though he’s a commitment with a Signing Day of nearly 2 years away, Riggins has still been in regular contact with the coaching staff at Miami.
“Me and coach Brown we talk often, me and coach Dugans talk often,” Riggins said. “That’s really who I talk to…I don’t really talk to coach Diaz. I should cause he’s the defensive coordinator (laughs).”
Riggins is a frequent visitor to Coral Gables, and is recently coming off a trip to the UM campus. His friends on the current team include former IMG teammate Brian Hightower and Nesta Silvera, when he gets there.
“I think I’ve visited three or four times,” Riggins said. “I just wanted to go down there, talk to the coaches, meet up with Brian Hightower.”
While visiting UM has been good fun, Riggins still wants to visit other campuses and see what’s out there. Despite that, though, his commitment to the Canes remains unwavering.
“I’m gonna take visits to some Florida schools, like Florida, Florida State, I’m gonna try and take a visit to Clemson. But, right now, I’m 100% solid to Miami. I like the situation Miami’s in, I like the 2018 recruiting class, I like the guys they brought in up front, I like the whole team, the coaching staff’s great. I just feel like Miami’s on the rise, and all they can do from here is get better.”
One of his former IMG teammates, 2020 WR Jermaine Burton, committed to Miami just before Riggins did. He shed some light on their relationship and the 2020 class as a whole.
“Jermaine, that’s my little brother. You know, he went back to Marietta, left IMG,” Riggins said. “It’s just a great experience being committed with those guys: Avantae (Williams), Leonard (Manuel), the guys, we all committed (to Miami). We are solid young men, we know what we want. So I just feel like that was the best choice for us, I know it was the best choice for me right now. I just feel like Miami’s gonna keep going uphill.”
Pressed further, Riggins envisions the core of his class sticking together and doesn’t think any defections will be in the cards for Cat20.
“I don’t see anybody decommitting,” Riggins said “Miami is just special. Plus, all the commits are solid guys, stand on their word. When you commit so early, you gotta make sure you’re gonna stick with it.”
It’s still extremely early, but Miami currently has the #1 2020 class in the nation according to 247Sports. Who does Riggins want to add to the class to make sure the Canes stay on top?
“I’m trying to get my cousin, Blake McCullough, he goes to Osceola. Joe Haden, he goes to Tampa Catholic and plays slot receiver. Just some guys that I think would be a great component to Miami and help this class grow. We bringin’ straight dogs.”
The Canes have made strides within the program since Mark Richt arrived: they had their first 10 win season in 14 years and went to their first ACC Championship in 2017. What does Miami have to do to keep reaching new heights?
“I think Miami should keep doing what they’re doing,” Riggins said. “I love the program, I love all the new things they building, I love the coaches. We just have a great connection. I see coach Brown, coach Dugans, coach Mark Richt at my school, say what up.”
Riggins’ message for Canes fans?
“The swag is back.”
“My goal was just really to get exposure. My performance today… I felt like I can get better,” Riggins said. “I plan on playing defensive tackle this year, moving inside in the trenches, getting stronger, working on my hands, and just getting quicker off the ball, using my size, getting low and all that. I felt like I played pretty good out here today and I’m also planning on being at the Orlando Regional Opening camp.”
As a rising junior, Riggins has plenty of time until he moves on to the next level. With that time, he plans on getting even bigger and better, starting this summer.
“I have a lot of plans; I have to get better, cause I’m getting bigger. When I got to IMG, I was 230, now I’m 280, so they put a lot of weight on me. Our situation right now, we don’t have a lot of D-tackles, so coach wanted me to get bigger so I can play on the interior. I’m just going to camps, working on my craft, getting better for the season.”
Riggins has actually played defensive end the majority of his career, so the position switch to the inside will be a new experience for him. He said, as of now, Miami still wants him at end.
“I’m just growing into it. I’m tall, but I can move at D-End. That’s the thing, when I came here (IMG) they wanted me to play D-tackle. I’m big, but I can move with it. But they’re great coaches, they know what they doing. I didn’t want to be disrespectful, so I just went along with it and did what they asked me to do, came out and performed.”
Riggins recorded 13 tackles and 4 sacks in his sophomore season getting rotational minutes on a stacked IMG defensive line. He’s watched and learned, but now Riggins is ready to take on a bigger role next season as a junior.
“My playing time was low (this year) and my production was good, we was loaded. I got to learn from Xavier Thomas, Nolan Smith, Taron Vincent, just a lot of great guys on the front,” Riggins said. “Coach Logan, the D-Line coach, he brought me in young, wanted to get me ready, wanted to get me experience just watching and learning from the older guys. Just getting me prepared for this season, I plan on playing a big role next year. This is really my time to shine. The coaches are giving me the opportunity, I just gotta go out there and play.”
Even though he’s a commitment with a Signing Day of nearly 2 years away, Riggins has still been in regular contact with the coaching staff at Miami.
“Me and coach Brown we talk often, me and coach Dugans talk often,” Riggins said. “That’s really who I talk to…I don’t really talk to coach Diaz. I should cause he’s the defensive coordinator (laughs).”
Riggins is a frequent visitor to Coral Gables, and is recently coming off a trip to the UM campus. His friends on the current team include former IMG teammate Brian Hightower and Nesta Silvera, when he gets there.
“I think I’ve visited three or four times,” Riggins said. “I just wanted to go down there, talk to the coaches, meet up with Brian Hightower.”
While visiting UM has been good fun, Riggins still wants to visit other campuses and see what’s out there. Despite that, though, his commitment to the Canes remains unwavering.
“I’m gonna take visits to some Florida schools, like Florida, Florida State, I’m gonna try and take a visit to Clemson. But, right now, I’m 100% solid to Miami. I like the situation Miami’s in, I like the 2018 recruiting class, I like the guys they brought in up front, I like the whole team, the coaching staff’s great. I just feel like Miami’s on the rise, and all they can do from here is get better.”
One of his former IMG teammates, 2020 WR Jermaine Burton, committed to Miami just before Riggins did. He shed some light on their relationship and the 2020 class as a whole.
“Jermaine, that’s my little brother. You know, he went back to Marietta, left IMG,” Riggins said. “It’s just a great experience being committed with those guys: Avantae (Williams), Leonard (Manuel), the guys, we all committed (to Miami). We are solid young men, we know what we want. So I just feel like that was the best choice for us, I know it was the best choice for me right now. I just feel like Miami’s gonna keep going uphill.”
Pressed further, Riggins envisions the core of his class sticking together and doesn’t think any defections will be in the cards for Cat20.
“I don’t see anybody decommitting,” Riggins said “Miami is just special. Plus, all the commits are solid guys, stand on their word. When you commit so early, you gotta make sure you’re gonna stick with it.”
It’s still extremely early, but Miami currently has the #1 2020 class in the nation according to 247Sports. Who does Riggins want to add to the class to make sure the Canes stay on top?
“I’m trying to get my cousin, Blake McCullough, he goes to Osceola. Joe Haden, he goes to Tampa Catholic and plays slot receiver. Just some guys that I think would be a great component to Miami and help this class grow. We bringin’ straight dogs.”
The Canes have made strides within the program since Mark Richt arrived: they had their first 10 win season in 14 years and went to their first ACC Championship in 2017. What does Miami have to do to keep reaching new heights?
“I think Miami should keep doing what they’re doing,” Riggins said. “I love the program, I love all the new things they building, I love the coaches. We just have a great connection. I see coach Brown, coach Dugans, coach Mark Richt at my school, say what up.”
Riggins’ message for Canes fans?
“The swag is back.”
