Ask any Georgia football fan their most iconic play in Bulldog history and you’re apt to get different answers.
A lot will depend on the person’s age.
There’s Herschel Walker running over Bill Bates of Tennessee, Buck Belue to Lindsay Scott to beat Florida, David Greene’s P44 touchdown pass to Verron Haynes to defeat Tennessee, a play where the late, great Larry Munson made “Hobnail Boot” a part of the Georgia vernacular.
Kelee Ringo’s 79-yard interception return to cement the Bulldogs’ 33-18 win in the national championship also qualifies.
Be it prints on T-shirts, photographs, or paintings, one does not have to look far to find the play depicted for posterity.
Rarely a day goes by when someone does not ask Ringo to relive the moment.
"I've been asked about that play countless, many a times. Just being able to explain it, see ball, get ball,” Ringo said after practice Tuesday. “That's something that Coach Smart teaches us every single day: being able to find the ball in the air, and if you can't do that you're definitely going to struggle in this league.”
That’s the kind of focus Ringo plans on implementing as he moves forward in his career.
Having his career defined by one play is not the route he wants to take.
“Yes, that was a big play in a big situation, but I feel like, 'Man, what's next?’” Ringo said. “I've seen plenty of players do big things in big situations and they're now on top of the mountain, so I feel like continuing to stay consistent and just continuing to do things that will help my team win, that'll set me off straight."
That kind of attitude and approach is exactly what head coach Kirby Smart wants to hear. While Smart acknowledges the importance of the play and admits its place in history, the fact Ringo is attempting to move on and better his game has him excited for how good the redshirt sophomore could ultimately become.
“He'll be the first to tell you that he made an outstanding play, a play that will live in glory and be great, but he also had some plays in the game that weren't so good,” Smart said. “He's got some tackling situations that he has to improve on. What makes me so proud of Kelee is that he is taking it out there to the field. He's really working on the physical part and being a better tackler. If anything, that play gives him a little more confidence to play with.”
That’s exactly what Ringo plans to do.
"Every single day that I come out here and practice, I feel like there's definitely something I can get better on. Off the field as well,” Ringo said. “So, having that mindset could definitely put me at a different level, putting that play behind me and making it something that helps me grow."
Do that, Smart said, and Ringo will really make a name for himself.
“He can let that play live in infamy, or he can decide to make a lot of those plays, go be a great player and go make money to play in the NFL and develop. I think that's the route he is taking,” Smart said. “I know this. He's going to get a lot of encouragement from me to go do that. So far, he has done that. I push Kelee because I know he can be a really good player. He hasn't gone away from that coaching or turned his nose up. If anything, he is trying to take on a leadership role."
