Cody Riggs will complete his college career elsewhere.
Riggs will graduate from UF after the spring semester and transfer to another school in May to play out his final year of eligibility, coach Will Muschamp said Wednesday. The redshirt junior safety and his parents recently approached the Florida coach about the decision to leave.
“(He) wanted a fresh start,” Muschamp said, “and I appreciate his contributions to Florida.”
Riggs wants to return to playing at cornerback, a position he played during his first three years at UF and at Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas High, according to a Gainesville Sun report.
During Florida’s 4-8 season in 2013, Riggs started all 12 games at safety and was fourth on the team with 51 tackles, including 6.5 for a loss of 35 yards. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound Riggs went without an interception but notched 1.5 sacks and three pass breakups last year, a season after redshirting 2012 with a fracture in his foot.
In wins against Arkansas and Toledo last season, Riggs led the team with six tackles in each game.
He leaves his Florida career with 107 tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and an interception in 40 games played — 26 of them starts.
With Riggs transferring and Jaylen Watkins — last year’s starter opposite Riggs at safety — graduating, Muschamp sees senior Jabari Gorman, redshirt sophomore Marcus Maye, sophomore Keanu Neal, redshirt freshmen Marcell Harris, Nick Washington and freshman Duke Dawson as candidates for the two open starting roles at safety.
Harris (knee) and Washington (shoulder), both freshmen in 2013, decided to redshirt after suffering their respective injuries. Muschamp envisions Dawson, Washington and Poole as players who could play multiple positions in the secondary, including nickel.
Injury update: Running back Matt Jones (torn meniscus) underwent a second surgery on his knee Wednesday.
Jones’ left knee is “90 percent healed,” according to Muschamp.
The then-sophomore suffered the season-ending injury during Florida’s 17-6 loss to LSU on Oct. 12, 2013 — UF’s fifth contest of the 2013 season.
Muschamp does not expect Jones to participate in spring practices.
“They (the team doctors) feel very comfortable that it’s way further along than they thought it would be at this time and feel really good about him progressing well,” Muschamp said.
“He still won’t go through spring.”
Linebackers Matt Rolin (torn ACL), Jeremi Powell (torn ACL) and Alex Anzalone (shoulder) will not practice during spring activities.
Peterson added to staff: Former NFL and UF linebacker Mike Peterson will join the Gators in a full-time position in the weight room starting Feb. 24.
Peterson was an undergraduate assistant for Florida in the fall while he worked toward earning his college degree. During his football career, he competed at Florida from 1995-98 and played 14 years in the NFL.
“We looked around in the coaching ranks, and we had an opportunity in the weight room, and to be able to hire a guy like that, former Gator, knows how it’s going to be done the right way,” Muschamp said.
“That’s invaluable for our players. So great to have him on staff.”
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Cody Riggs (31) tackles LSU junior wide receiver Jarvis Landry (80) during Florida’s 17-6 loss to LSU on Oct. 12 at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.
