SI99 TE Michael Trigg Closing in on Commitment
TAMPA, Fla. -- Usually two, sometimes three.
Michael Trigg is used to it, but multiple defensive backs assigned to him on a given play makes it that much tougher to make the splash expected of an SI99 member and top 10 tight end prospect.
The senior still made plays (video above) in Carrollwood Day's home opener -- and senior night -- Friday against Clearwater (Fla.) Calvary Christian. The visitors would win 16-7 but Trigg's presence was felt on nearly every offensive and defensive snap.
"We knew Calvary was a good team coming into this game, we were preparing all week," he told SI All-American. "We came up a little short but we fought with all our hearts and that's always a great thing to know. Just gotta come back next week stronger.
"At Seffner (Christian) last year, when I started to get a lot of offers and some clout, that's when I started to see the double teams. I just started getting used to it. I know I'm gonna beat the first defender so I just worry about the safety. That's how my mindset is on that."
As seen in the above video, the contested catches are relatively routine for the 6-foot-4, 230-pound prospect, who of course has a bevy of scholarship offers in football and basketball.
"It's basketball and then at the same time my trainer, Coach Marshall, we practice stuff like that," Trigg said. "When he throws the ball to me it's always a bag in my face or one hitting my arms so I'll be ready for times like this."
While he wouldn't verbalize which sport he was a better prospect in, a big post-game smile not withstanding, it's clear the basketball opportunities are still important and apart of a decision that could become public sometime soon.
"It's a pretty big factor to me," he said. "My whole life, I always wanted to play two sports in college. Now that I have the opportunity to do that, it's something I want to take advantage of."
Trigg's public top three stands as LSU, South Carolina and USC, but Kentucky and Arizona State are pushing to remain in the picture, he says. "That's the only five I entertain."
It means leaving the Sunshine State is imminent.
"I've always known I wanted to leave Florida because I've been here my whole life, really," he said. "I like Florida, but I know I've got to get out. I haven't really left like that, to be honest."
Baton Rouge was the last college town he spent time at, traveling to LSU with a bevvy of prospects last weekend. It was his second time in town after taking part in a basketball event there.
"I was with the players, Korey Foreman, Maason (Smith), Raesjon (Davis), all them boys," Trigg said. "It was a good group of guys, we were all getting to know each other, talking and stuff like that. It was like a family thing, not like a recruiting visit, more like a little mini vacation."
The peer recruiting is something valued at this stage of the recruiting process, especially given the restrictions with college coaches taking part due to COVID-19.
"That plays a big part," he said. "Garrett (Nussmeier), the quarterback committed to LSU, he was on our ass the whole time, trying to get us. We like stuff like that. We like hearing it from people our age, people that we relate to and do something that we love -- not just a coach. It always makes it feel better."
LSU and South Carolina, among the five programs still in the hunt, are the only campuses Trigg has visited in person. He says he's willing to make a commitment without seeing a campus, however.
"I'm gonna try to shake something up pretty soon," he said. "I still have to talk to my mom, my dad, my trainer. Something could happen soon."
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