AUBURN, Ala. – On his first recruiting visit to Auburn, Quentin Riggins left Jordan-Hare Stadium at halftime to get back to Montgomery to work his shift at McDonald's.
By that time, Bo Jackson had already rushed for 206 yards on his way to a 290-yard, four-touchdown, Heisman-campaign launching day in Auburn's 49-7 win over Southwestern Louisiana.
Impressed by Riggins' work ethic, and a 25-tackle performance in a game as a senior at Lee High School, Auburn coach Pat Dye offered the 5-11, 185-pound linebacker a scholarship.
Thirty-four years later, Riggins returned to Pat Dye Field before Auburn's game against Samford to receive the Walter Gilbert Award, presented annually to a former student-athlete for achievements after graduation.
"It's a tremendous honor," said Riggins, senior vice president of governmental and corporate affairs at Alabama Power. "Out of all the things I've accomplished, this is the highest.
"This confirms, Coach Dye saw something more than a football player. I didn't fit in the regular body of a linebacker, a traditional role, but he saw something different, saw more. And this award, I guess, confirms that."
Riggins credited his time as an Auburn student-athlete for helping prepare him for corporate success.
"I'm glad there was a vehicle for me to get where I am," he said. "You have success with some of those same fundamentals and principles. Hard work, keeping your word. From my school, it doesn't get any better than that."
From 1986-89, Riggins helped Auburn win four straight Iron Bowls and three SEC championships before serving as the Auburn Sports Network's sideline reporter for 25 seasons from 1991-2015.
Riggins and his teammates from the 1989 team will gather this weekend for a 30-year reunion, marking the first time Auburn hosted the Iron Bowl, and celebrating their 30-20 victory.
"Our fans, they deserved to play here," Riggins said. "It meant equality. The emotion and the electricity that were in this building, I can't wait to see what it's going to be, I'm going to be right there in the midst of it. These kids, they deserve it. Our fans, they deserve it, and it has made the rivalry better."
Quentin Riggins' Auburn journey began on a September Saturday in 1985, when it took only 30 minutes for the Tigers to realize they had found a player who would fight for 60.
"Leaving here to go work at McDonald's Bo Jackson's senior year was heartbreaking," said Riggins, whose daughter, Madison is a student ambassador for War Eagle Girls and Plainsmen. "But today, 30 years later, and my daughter, who's a senior, gets to see me walk out here. It just confirms all the things that mom and dad taught me, and built on, it confirms my career."
1985: HS senior Quentin has to leave AU game at halftime to get back to Montgomery for his fast food job.
— Jeff Shearer (@jeff_shearer) November 23, 2019
Impressed by Q's work ethic, Coach Dye offers scholarship. Riggins helps AU win four straight Iron Bowls, three straight @SEC titles.
The story: https://t.co/fSVUzyVZcB
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer