The junior linebacker for the University of West Georgia football team has already put up some big hits just three games into the season and Liggins currently leads the team with 19 tackles to go along with an interception.
"It's a lot of emotion and trying to do what coach taught me to do. Not really trying to make the big play, but make a play period. Then, if it happens to be a big play, I'm happy with the results. Just trying to be in the right place at the right time," Liggins said.
Coming out of Hephzibah, Liggins saw an opportunity to be a part of something special going on in Carrollton. Liggins started his career as a Wolf just one year into University Stadium and now the new Athletic Operations Building — which houses the locker room and a brand new weight room — comes along with a new attitude and focus on winning.
"It's a blessing to be here at West Georgia. The first year the stadium was open, they were 1-9 and coach [Daryl] Dickey brought me into his office and I decided I wanted to be part of the change. I came in my freshman year and only played special teams, but tried to play my best on special teams," Liggins said. "Last year, we turned things around with the 6-4 season and this year we're just trying to build on everything and trying to make this program a winning program."
The majority of Liggins' team-high 19 tackles came in an 11-tackle effort against Tusculum, as the Wolves came away with the 38-29 win. The 6-foot, 235-pound linebacker also had one of the five interceptions in that game — the first of his UWG career.
Liggins adds a physical nature to a West Georgia defense that is filled with experienced players that have come up with Dickey and have been a part of the program's turnaround.
"Bobby is a spark plug, there's no question about that. He's very intense and plays with a lot of emotion," Dickey said. "He's learning how to be a more technical and better linebacker out there. I think he's got a chance to be a quality player in our conference ... We've played two teams that have thrown the ball an awful lot on us. We've done a good job with the run game and will be a factor in the next game and is one of Bobby's strong suits. He's becoming a better pass defender out there, but loves to play downhill."
Now, in a bye week before the Wolves open up Gulf South Conference play at West Alabama, the players are focused on getting healthy and correcting mistakes through the first three weeks.
"I think this past Saturday, that had a lot to do with the loss. Not to make any excuses, but just as a team we weren't where we needed to be. It was minor things that we weren't on the same page. This week we don't have to worry about West Alabama or Valdosta State, we just have to worry about ourselves and I think that will make us better in practice and better in the game," Liggins said of the Wolves' 44-37 road loss at Miles on Saturday.
But when the Wolves do hit the field next, there is a new attitude. No longer do the UWG players hope to win or think they can win — now they expect to win. That attitude has come with winning and will continue to grow with continued success.
"That's definitely nice. Even last year it was, 'I hope we win this season.' If we won it was like, 'Hooray, we won. Oh my God.' And if we lost it was, 'Well, maybe we shouldn't have won that game.' This year and maybe towards the end of last year — I think the Valdosta game set a trend at West Georgia — we can play with everybody in our conference. Now when we lose, it's not, 'Ah, we should have lost that game.' We're upset. Then when we win, it's on to the next game," Liggins said.
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