When Kannon Biggs and his father met with Athens High football coach Cody Gross after last season, he was told if he wanted to play Division I college football, he was going to have to make some drastic changes.

He did just that and was rewarded by receiving several scholarship offers. He ended his recruitment Thursday when he committed to play at Troy University.

“I told Kannon that if he wanted to play Division I football, he was going to have to change his body,” Gross said. “He got on a nutrition plan and totally transformed his body. He took away fat and put on muscle.”

Biggs, an offensive lineman who has played both guard and tackle, has played for the Golden Eagles since his freshman year and has developed the strength and quickness needed to play at the Division I level, Gross said.

“His ability to bend and his agility are two of his greatest characteristics,” he said. “He was blessed with the size and ability, and he set his mind to getting this done. He’s gotten stronger and that allows him to move better as well.”

Biggs, a rising senior, received scholarship offers from places such as Middle Tennessee, Mercer, Samford, South Alabama and UAB, but he said once he stepped foot on Troy’s campus, he knew he was a place where he wanted to be.

“I felt comfortable there because coming from Athens, it’s very similar and has a very hometown feel,” Biggs said. “That’s what I was really looking for. Whenever I saw Troy, that’s what really did it.”

Troy plays in the Sun Belt Conference and has been one of the most successful mid-major football programs of the last 10 years.

The Trojans finished last season with an 11-2 record, a Sun Belt Conference Championship, a New Orleans Bowl victory, and perhaps most importantly, a victory over LSU in Tiger Stadium, which broke LSU’s 46-game home winning streak against non-conference opponents.

In addition to Biggs visiting Troy on numerous occasions, the Troy coaches also came to Athens several times to watch him practice and work out. That attention from the coaches is another reason Biggs was drawn to Troy.

“They did a good job of building the relationship,” Biggs said. “I feel like I can go down there and have a big impact on what they’re doing. They are obviously doing real good things down there, and you don’t have to go to a Power 5 (conference) school to do big things.”

Biggs said he is glad to get this decision out of the way so he can focus on his senior football season.

“I talked to Coach Gross a lot, and he would always tell me to find a college that is right for me,” he said. “I really feel Troy is the right fit for me. I’m glad I can go ahead and make this decision and now focus on doing the best I can in high school football my senior year.”