Sam Blackburn

Zanesville Times Recorder

ATHENS, Ohio – The Plains is a blip on the radar, a small speck on the map that all but defines rural Southeast Ohio.

The Appalachian foothills surround one of the only flat areas in Athens County, located a few miles from the Hocking River. There is a Valero to grab some fuel. If you're hungry, there is a newly renovated McDonald's, a Subway and, of course, the now famous Gigi's Country Kitchen. And lest we forget the sparkling new Piggly Wiggly.

But the centerpiece is Athens High School, the place LSU quarterback Joe Burrow made a household name. Southeast Ohio's first Heisman Trophy winner and potential No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft is the crown jewel of a region that has never been confused with breeding football legends.

Make no mistake, though – that's exactly what "Joey" is here.

Hometown hero

Burrow and his unbeaten, top-ranked Tigers (14-0) will play defending national champion Clemson, itself 14-0, on Monday night in the College Football Playoff National Championship game in New Orleans.

His 55 touchdown passes and 78% completion percentage are among the best produced in one season at the college level. He needs only four more scores to pass Hawaii's Colt Brennan for most TD passes in single-season NCAA history.

That still wouldn't be enough to top his high school days.

Burrow passed for 63 touchdowns as a senior, part of a career that saw him surpass 11,000 career yards and throw 157 TDs. For good measure, he added 2,067 yards rushing, as his talent-laden Bulldogs reached the Division III state finals in his final season.

Those Bulldogs produced arguably the best team in the history of Southeast Ohio, one that featured four Division I college signees in a spread offense resembling plenty of similarities to that of his current operation.

Burrow was flanked by running back Trae Williams, who signed with Northwestern, and twin brothers Adam and Ryan Luehrman, a pair of lanky receivers who signed with nearby Ohio University. Another starter, versatile tough guy Zacciah Saltzman just finished his senior year as a running back at Georgetown.

In most cases, games in the Tri-Valley Conference were all but decided by halftime – often earlier. They once scored 11 touchdowns in the first half against league rival Albany Alexander.

"They were just a bunch of real good guys, a bunch of good kids and really were like a big family," said former Athens Athletic Director Chuck Robinson, a member of the Marietta College Athletic Hall of Fame.

Now the head girls basketball coach at Eastern High in neighboring Meigs County, Robinson fondly recalled his days around those Bulldogs. While there was an abundance of skilled talent surrounding him, Burrow was the unquestioned ring leader. He led with his voice and his example, Robinson said.

"It was his intensity," Robinson said, when asked what he remembered most about him. "He cared about what he was doing and always wanted to be the best at what he was doing. He was special early. He could do a lot of things that people just couldn't do."

That included a football rarity. In the 2014 regional finals against Columbus DeSales, his senior season, he threw a touchdown to himself in a 52-20 win that clinched the school's first final four appearance.

"The linebacker knocked it down and it went right back to him," Robinson recalled. "He just caught it and ran it into the end zone. That was the key moment right there."

The Bulldogs lost in the finals to private-school power Toledo Central Catholic two weeks later, but Burrow didn't go down without a fight. That 56-52 loss, the first in Ohio Stadium in 25 years, featured championship game records 446 yards and six TDs from Burrow. More than 10,000 fans attended.

“It was just like a great, old-fashioned heavyweight fight,” then-Athens coach Ryan Adams told the Columbus Dispatch afterward. “It was whoever was left standing at the end.”

It came one day after being named Ohio's Mr. Football, an award won by the likes of Charles Woodson, Maurice Clarett and Mitchell Trubisky. Former Minnesota Vikings running back Robert Smith won it twice.

Athens Messenger reporter Jason Arkley, a veteran with more than 20 years of covering sports in Athens County, teamed with sports editor Kevin Wiseman to cover Burrow's Bulldogs throughout his career.

Arkley compared Burrow's early years to a traveling carnival, as Bulldogs road games always spiked attendance for the opposition. They wanted to see the 6-foot-4, rocket-armed quarterback they'd heard so much about, the player that had set internet message boards aflame.

Could he really be this good? Burrow most always had the same answer. A 58-42 win against perennial power Steubenville at Harding Stadium, known as Death Valley by the natives, was particularly eye-catching.

It was those out-of-conference games that always drew the most eyes, Arkley said.

“They all played out the same way," Arkley said. "Big crowd to see Joe Burrow and the Bulldogs, with plenty of pregame chatter about, ‘well, he hasn’t played anybody yet,’ or ‘wait until he sees a real defense,’ and things along those lines. And, invariably, by the end of the game those same people – be it fans, coaches or players on the field – would be lining up to shake his hand and tell him: ‘You’re the best quarterback I’ve ever played against.’ "

The success never went to his head, Robinson said.

"He's grounded, and his parents (Jimmy and Robin) are real grounded, too," Robinson said. "That has rubbed off on him, and that's all in-house."

His athletic prowess wasn't exclusive to the gridiron.

He was also a first-team All-Ohio basketball player as a senior, where he was a three-point sniper with the towering Luehrman twins, 6-foot-4 and 6-foot-5, respectively, patrolling the inside. Robinson, a baseball standout at Marietta and later a coach, was certain he'd have starred in that, too.

His LSU teammates, and others in attendance prior to the College Football Playoff semifinal game against Oklahoma, got to see his shooting prowess on Christmas. In a friendly shooting contest with a large crowd watching, Burrow hit the game-winning 3-pointer against the Sooners.

"He hadn't touched a ball in two years and hit like 15 straight 3-pointers," 1984 Athens grad Greg Hopkins said, shortly after having lunch on Monday at Gigi's. "Everybody was like, 'what in the world?' The boy is just a natural athlete. His demeanor is just unbelievable."

Hopkins, from Athens, said he's never seen an athlete with Burrow's poise under duress. His final season in college has looked awfully similar to his final year at Athens, he said, something the statistics support.

"His focus is unlike any quarterback I've ever seen," Hopkins said. "His ability to stand there on the spot and not panic, I've never seen anyone better. He's unbelievable."

Arkley agreed, adding Burrow's quiet confidence and unflappable disposition wore off on his teammates.

"He doesn't seem to have that gene, DNA code, whatever, that dictates to humans that it's time to get nervous or tight when the stakes get bigger," Arkley said. "Even as a sophomore in high school, his poise was off the charts."

And then there's "the grin."

"Joe Burrow has enough confidence to spit in the face of a hurricane and will smirk while doing it," Arkley said. "If anyone saw the LSU press conference leading into the Texas A&M game this fall, they saw ‘the’ grin. It’s like Burrow knows a secret no one else does, but you’ll find out about it in due time. The grin is like the manifestation of the confidence, poise and assuredness that he has played with his entire career.”

Remembering his roots

The 31% poverty rate in Athens County is the highest in Ohio, far removed from the hustle, bustle and burgeoning opportunities of metros like Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus. The opioid crisis has hit here as hard as anywhere in the region.

Ohio University, in Athens, has long doubled as a local source of pride and a vital employer. It is Ohio's fourth-largest university by enrollment.

But it's tough here, as Burrow pointed out in a heartfelt Heisman speech that brought many to tears, especially in his hometown. It was in New York City, before a nationwide audience on ESPN, where he spoke of the poverty and hunger problems saddling the area.

Born in Ames, Iowa, he moved to Ohio at 9 after his father, who played at Nebraska under Tom Osborne, was hired by OU coach Frank Solich as the Bobcats' defensive coordinator in 2005.

Burrow saw firsthand the struggles many of his schoolmates encountered. Some were his teammates.

"Coming from Southeast Ohio, the poverty rate is almost twice the national average," Burrow said. "There are so many people there who don't have a lot, and I'm up here for all those kids in Athens and Athens County who go home to not a lot of food on the table, hungry after school. You guys can be up here, too."

Little did he know what would follow.

Shortly after, Athens High and OU grad Will Drabold took to Facebook to start a fundraiser for the Athens County Food Pantry. It started with a goal of $1,000. As of Monday, it had raised $500,966 with donations pouring in from across the country. A separate fundraiser brought in donations to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where LSU is located.

Since then, Athens County Food Pantry President Karin Bright has been deluged with interview requests from media types wondering just how much impact the generosity created. The food pantry serves around 1,200 people, with an annual budget of around $80,000.

"I checked (on Monday) and there were donations from Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana and Ohio, and that was just from over the weekend," Bright said. "What he said touched the hearts of so many people. It shows the kind of person he is. Beyond the fact that he's been a real winner on the field, for him to use his platform and his voice to address such a huge problem in this country – this is not just in Athens. It's out in California, in the desert in Arizona and the mountains in Wyoming. It's across the board."

She said the Food Pantry board met with attorneys to discuss the future of what would be done with the surplus of funds. There are multiple options, from sharing with other organizations to creating endowments. They hope to come up with a final solution soon, which she said will be made public.

Hopkins, who worked as a case officer for the Department of Human Services in Vinton County, said he'd like to see the wealth shared to neighboring counties. Meigs, Morgan, Perry and Vinton counties have had similar struggles to Athens.

"I dealt with it on a daily basis," Hopkins said. "One of the things I was in charge of was the emergency assistance program. It's real. ... Just distribute it around. I hope that's what the food pantry does."

Almost a month later, Bright was still wrapping her head around the whirlwind of events. She couldn't thank Burrow enough, calling his thoughtfulness "refreshing to see from a successful athlete," especially in this age of self-promotion and bloated egos.

She hopes his speech continues the conversation.

"This is an issue in this country that requires a solution," Bright said. "As a country, we are too rich, too blessed to let people go hungry."

It wasn't the first time Burrow gave a passionate speech.

The freshman son of United Appeals of Athens County Executive Director Jennifer Eskey was part of the Athens High program when Burrow was a senior.

She listened as he addressed the overflowing crowd at the team's postseason banquet.

"All of the seniors got to talk," Eskey recalled. "Joey went up to talk and he was so emotional. I don't think I've ever seen an 18-year-old be that compassionate about something ever. Just the team, the family and where they've went and how close they all are and how much he was going to miss it. It stuck with me.

"When a young person can produce that amount of passion and love, you know they've been taught right and they truly, from the depths of what they have, truly love what they are doing," she added. "I knew when he got up and cried in front of the whole cafeteria – it was chock full of people – and showed that passion, I knew that kid had something."

The Heisman speech, and its purpose, was merely a continuance of his empathy for others, Eskey said.

"Every now and then, you’ll hear people talk negatively about people using their platform for their own, and here is this kid who chose to take it off of him and put it to where it’s needed," Eskey said. "What kid does that? ... That's his compassion. He has done what he can to help, and, if you look back, how many people have done that?"

Hopkins said the humility is real. His parents still frequent Gigi's, which is known for its daily specials and variety of down-home fare.

"Not only is he a phenomenal athlete, but he's also very intelligent," Hopkins said. "He has used his head quite well through all of this and continues to do so. He's just a humble young man. For all of that spotlight and attention he's getting, for being a young man, 23, 24 years old, I couldn't do it. We're very proud of the man here."

Burrow's popularity stretches beyond Athens and The Plains. He has become a hero for the entire region, including most Ohio State fans who supported him even after he transferred last summer.

"He's got the support of all of Southeast Ohio," Robinson said.

Travis Brand, owner of Gigi's, agreed.

"(Albany) Alexander you'd consider our rivals, and there are just as many people excited about this as the Athens crew," Brand said. "Trimble Tomcats, Nelsonville, everyone is on board. We're divided in high school sports, but once you get past that everybody is hanging their hat on it."

Geaux Jeaux

Hopkins has been a regular at Gigi's, which has been a bustling place since Burrow's 2018 interview with ESPN reporter Marty Smith that concluded with a conversation about Burrow's favorite place to eat back home.

"It's great," Burrow told Smith. "Gigi's is my favorite breakfast place in Athens. Western omelet, double side of hash browns every time I go home."

That was before Burrow became the talk of college football. His ascent only added to the restaurant's popularity. One drive down Ohio 682 in The Plains will show multiple street signs supporting Burrow and the Tigers, with Gigi's leading the charge.

Tigers fans that have visited often bring back memorabilia to add to the restaurant, like the LSU flag that flies in front of its entrance.

Inside are placards on the walls featuring "Joe Burreaux," as he is referred to in French Cajun country, along with a banner touting his Heisman trophy.

Brand has been deluged with calls and interviews from media wanting to know the story about Burrow and his go-to restaurant. He wasn't sure about an uptick in business, but there has certainly been a rise in popularity and atmosphere.

"On gamedays we'll pass out beads and people are screaming 'Go Tigers!' all day," Brand said. "It's just the atmosphere. It's not a measurable thing. We've had people from all over. The first purple party we had was the week of the Alabama game and we had a lady come from Circleville; some folks from Independence, Kentucky, came down. It's about 2 ½ hours for them to get here, just came in for lunch."

Brand called Burrow's climb "a whirlwind," adding he never opened a restaurant with any preconceived notions that he'd be doing interviews with the likes of ESPN, CBS and the New York Times. WBRZ-TV, from Baton Rouge, even followed them to a tailgate when they attended the Texas A&M game earlier in the season.

He booked his plane ticket to New Orleans on Monday but doubted he would attend the game given the exorbitant ticket costs. As for the Western omelet, it has since been re-named "The Burrow" in his honor.

Said Brand: "It's the Joe Burrow World, we're just living in it."