ATHENS — Remember that iconic picture of Kelee Ringo intercepting that pass in last season’s national championship game, the one with coach Kirby Smart simultaneously leaping in the air? How could you forget?
For Georgia fans, not only is that image burned in their memories forever but you can’t go anywhere that has anything to do with the Bulldogs and not see it.
It is thought that it is the chief reason Ringo is listed on some lists as Georgia’s highest earner when it comes to name, image and likeness earnings. He has outearned, according to On3.com’s quantification, even Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett in NIL opportunities since the Bulldogs’ national championship victory.
Now this is an inexact science. NIL earnings, for now at least, aren’t subject to the open-records scrutiny that federal law provides for the public when it comes to state institutions. But, suffice it to say, Georgia’s sophomore cornerback has earned something north of “walking-around money” when it comes to the interception and touchdown return he executed that solidified the Bulldogs’ first national championship in 41 years.
Since then, Georgia coach Kirby Smart has made it one of his primary objectives to make sure that Ringo’s big plays for the Bulldogs didn’t end with that one.
“You worry about a play like that going to a guy’s head or maybe not realizing his deficiencies and how he can improve on them,” Smart said Tuesday night after the Bulldogs’ second-to-last practice in advance of Saturday’s game against No. 11 Oregon at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (3:30 p.m., ABC). “We had several talks in the offseason, and he embraced it. He was the first to admit, ‘No, I’m not where I need to be.’”
Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@
Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@
Indeed, Ringo’s redshirt freshman season was a baptism by fire. Playing the field corner opposite lockdown senior Derion Kendrick, opposing teams were going after Ringo all season. That was especially evident in the Bulldogs’ 41-24 loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship game.
Well, Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young was going after Ringo again on third-and-9 and Bama trailing the Bulldogs by eight points with a minute to play in the College Football Playoff Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. This time, Ringo got the last laugh, leaping high into the air, snatching the ball at its apex and hauling it in at the Georgia 21. Gathering his balance after reaching the ground almost simultaneous to Smart’s descent, Ringo tucked the ball and took it down the sideline 79 yards into infamy.
Though it wasn’t the score that ultimately clinched the win – that came on A.D. Mitchell’s go-ahead touchdown catch seven minutes earlier – it without a doubt was the iconic moment in what was a historic night.
Months later, you can find Ringo and his jersey No. 5 likeness everywhere. The majority of Ringo’s income likely has come from the many autograph-signing events he has attended in the months since then.
He claims he honestly doesn’t know what all has come as a result of that unforgettable moment.
“I’ve heard a lot of things about that, but honestly, I’m not too sure,” Ringo said. “I mean, like, I’m just trying to really look forward. Of course, it was a great moment for me. But I feel like I have a lot of things I still need to do in my career to make things like that last, and that’s what I’m focused on right now.”
Such statements couldn’t make Smart any prouder of Ringo. Ringo is espousing exactly the philosophies that they discussed during the offseason. Smart told him to focus on getting better and shoring up the weaknesses so he could make more such plays in the future.
The hope is, Ringo’s play will continue beyond his Georgia career. Having been redshirted because of an injury as a freshman, Ringo will be eligible for the NFL draft after this season.
“You can always find room for improvement,” Ringo said Tuesday. “One thing that puts people in bad situations who (make a play) like that is they get complacent and feel like they’ve arrived. That’s one thing that coach Smart said: ‘Always look for at least one thing that you can improve on.’ You can always get better. There’s no limit on where you can get to.”
Said Smart: “He had some plays in that game that weren’t so good, too. He admitted that. He said, ‘I can improve, and that’s what I want to do.’ He’s been a leader, he’s been an everyday work guy, and I’m expecting him to have a great season because of the work he’s putting in. He’s worked really hard to be a good player.”
Based on feedback from his Georgia teammates, Ringo has continued to make strides during preseason camp. Bennett said one of the things he most looks forward to about playing Oregon and the Bulldogs’ other opponents this season is not having to go against Ringo all day every day.
“I’m excited to get out there and play somebody other than No. 5 for our team,” Bennett said.
Ringo’s ascent should come as no surprise. A 6-foot-2, 210-pound native of Tacoma, Wash., Ringo signed with Georgia as a five-star prospect out of Saguaro High School in Arizona. The Bulldogs anticipated him being an impact player as a freshman. But he arrived with an injured shoulder and underwent surgery that first spring in Athens.
Fast forward to last season, and Ringo played in all 15 games. He was a backup for the first three before overtaking fifth-year senior Ameer Speed for the starting position for the final 12.
When the smoke cleared, Ringo had an extremely busy season. Virtually every week he was the defensive back opponents schemed to attack.
But Ringo held his own. He finished with 35 tackles, was second to safety Lewis Cine for the team lead with eight pass breakups and had two interceptions. The first one came in a backup role in Game 2 of a blowout win over Alabama-Birmingham.
That second one will go down as one of the greatest in the history of Georgia football for what it meant.
Ringo’s hope is that there will be more iconic moments with the Bulldogs. Maybe there will even be one Saturday against Oregon.
“Honestly, I’m looking forward to playing against coach (Dan) Lanning,” Ringo said. “They’ve got a great team over there. We’re really focused on how we can improve as a defense and to be able to counter what they do as well. We’re just trying to come out on top at the end of the day.”
If the Bulldogs do, Ringo will be a reason they did.
