Kelee Ringo: His decision, a snake, that viral visit and a new NCAA rule
SAN ANTONIO, Tex. — This is a story about Kelee Ringo, a scavenger hunt, a slithery sliver of “Sunshine” and a mom, one viral unofficial visit photo and a new NCAA ruling.
Ringo and his mother are already part of NCAA history. So much that they made a rule about it.
Here’s the part where we let a little “Sunshine” come in on this narrative. “Sunshine” is the name of the pet snake of UGA football staffer Bryant Gantt.
“Sunshine” has been a part of several visits over the last few years, including the continuing tradition of the May scavenger hunt weekend.
Enter Ringo. He’s a very important remaining 5-star target for UGA who will make his decision known Saturday during the All-American Bowl.
“My mom actually on my Georgia visit she took a picture with a snake and the NCAA made a rule like two weeks later that there’s no live animals able to be taken on a photo shoot on a college campus,” Ringo said. “So my mom I think actually made that rule for the NCAA.”
His mother, Tralee Hale, was the one with the 5-star courage in that encounter. There’s a classic pic probably still floating around the internet of Hale applying press coverage to the reptile while Ringo is using his 4.35 (laser) speed in the 40 to exit stage left out of frame.
Ringo loves crab legs. Alaskan King Crab specifically. Reptiles are another matter entirely.
“I don’t like snakes,” Ringo said. “Any type of snake, man. If it is a garden snake I don’t care, man. I don’t like the way they move.”
Yeah! The NCAA actually made a rule that you can no longer pose with live animals because of me! I’m kinda proud about it!😏 😂
— Tralee Hale (@HaleTralee) December 22, 2019
This is the best I can do for now!! pic.twitter.com/vCZTwqm6CM
— Tralee Hale (@HaleTralee) December 23, 2019
Ringo rates as the nation’s No. 1 CB and No. 6 overall prospect for 2020 on the 247Sports Composite rankings.
His decision announcement will have Georgia as a prime contender along with Oregon and Texas. That decision drops on Saturday with the 1 p.m EST broadcast of the All-American Bowl on NBC. It is not yet known at what time of the broadcast his ceremony will take place.
Considering his status as a national top 10 recruit, it will likely slot later in the broadcast.
Kelee Ringo: Check out the video interview above
Ringo was fun to watch in the All-American Bowl practice setting in Texas this week. There was a part where a few recruits started to boil up about guys making plays.
The young man from Saguaro High (Swah-Ro) in Arizona just kept it real.
“Guys don’t you all know everyone is an All-American out here,” he said. “All-Americans. Guys are all going to make plays.”
What did his decision come down to?
“Feel comfortable where I am going,” he said. “I feel like I want to live there for the next three or four years. Just built a great relationship with [coaches] and also my everyday life outside of football is a big factor as well.”
Check out the featured video element above for a 1-on-1 with Ringo on the following topics:
- How does he feel about his five finalists? Alabama? Georgia? Ohio State? Oregon? Texas?
- How will he announce?
- Was the recruiting process a burden?
- Is he ready for this moment? How excited is he right now?
- How many hats are going to be on the table?
- He signed during the early period. How does he still feel about his decision?
- What did it come down to?
- How did he figure it out?
- Why would he choose UGA?
- Why would he choose Oregon?
- How would he compare the ways that Georgia and Oregon recruited him?
- Why did his decision come down to an old-school feeling?
DawgNation: All-American game coverage
- Darnell Washington breaks down why he chose to be a Bulldog
- 5-star Georgia RB target Zach Evans explains why he delayed another announcement
- 5-star ATH Darnell Washington has made his college decision
- Zach Evans: Georgia signee talk up his “Heisman” potential
- The TE that didn’t choose Georgia shares his wish for Darnell Washington to be a Bulldog
- Arian Smith made sure the morning after that tough LSU loss wasn’t so bad after all
- WATCH: Brodrick Jones and Jalen Carter reps highlight the Day 3 one-on-one battles
- WATCH: Marcus Rosemy, Arian Smith explain what they’re bringing to the Georgia football wide receiver room
- How Georgia football ended up missing on Tank Bigsby, Theo Johnson and some of its top targets
- PHOTOS: Check out the Georgia football recruits on Day 2 of Under Armour All-American Bowl practices
- Elite RB signee Kendall Milton chooses to report earlier than expected to UGA
- WATCH: Georgia signee Arian Smith wins “Fastest Man” challenge at Under Armour
- Even before hiring Matt Luke, Chad Lindberg knew he was ‘the guy’ for Georgia football
- Sedrick Van Pran-Granger: All-American OL still feels ‘comfortable’ as a Georgia commit
- Incoming freshman Jalen Carter feels he can play a Tyler Clark-type role as a freshman
- What we learned about Georgia football recruits, targets at Under Armour All-American game media day
- Dontae Manning contrasts Georgia football and Oregon ahead of announcement
- All-American week snapshot: Which UGA signees and targets play where
- Jordan Burch: Why Georgia didn’t even crack his final 3
- 5-star RB Zach Evans shares ‘strongest connection’ and scope of decision prior to Jan. 2 announcement
- Even Mekhail Sherman was surprised when Kirby Smart, Georgia football flipped Jermaine Burton
- Broderick Jones: The 5-star OT details why he is still committed to Georgia
