CLAY, Alabama -- 61.

Just the mere mention of that number to any sports fan immediately calls to mind the whopping 61 home runs New York Yankees outfielder Roger Maris once hit in a season hit to set the all-time single season record in Major League Baseball. There was even a movie made about that feat and that number "61" was the only title necessary.

Clay-Chalkville. Its a different sport and level, but the 61 touchdowns he produced as the quarterback of the Class 6A state champions will also carry a lot of oomph in Alabama high school football going forward.

RELATED: The Alabama Sports Writers Association has released its 2014 All-State football teams

Pike County's Chris Nickson accounted for 67 touchdowns in 2003 on his way to the Alabama Sports Writers Association's "Mr. Football" honor and a scholarship to Vanderbilt. That's the single-season state record, but that feat was accomplished in Class 3A.

Nickson threw for 42 touchdowns and scored another 25 times on runs or returns, but he attempted 85 more passes than Pigrome did in 2014. Nickson needed 85 more carries than Pigrome to account for his 1,488 rushing yards.

Pigrome completed 67 percent of his passes compared to 57 for the Pike County star. He threw for 2,692 yards while Nickson accounted for 2,963 passing yards. The Clay quarterback also compiled 1,254 rushing yards despite very few called runs or any carries during the playoffs.

Both quarterbacks led their teams to state titles. "Piggy T" did so while averaging a touchdown every 6.2 plays when his number was called to run or throw the ball. Nickson produced a score every 8.5 plays during his senior year in 2003.

When the difference between Class 3A and Class 6A is taken into account along with Pigrome's efficiency its no stretch of the imagination to set each year apart as the two most prolific seasons for a quarterback in Alabama high school football history. Toss in the fact this was Pigrome's varsity debut and it is far simpler to say no first-year quarterback has ever had a better season in Alabama high school football.

Cougars coach Jerry Hood is known to come up with a funny metaphor about first-year players that relate to potty training habits for toddlers, but not with Pigrome. He saw him develop at reading coverages and protecting the football even while averaging 10.4 yards on per play in which he ran, threw or caught the ball.

Pigrome -- who said he was once struck by lightning and lost the feeling in a few limbs for less than 20 minutes -- electrified the Clay-Chalkville program in 2014.

"I never ever dreamed of 61 touchdowns," Hood said. "He made it magical and did a lot of great things."

Pigrome's arm also stabilized an offense that lost all-time leading rusher Terrelle West to a knee injury in Week 12 of the state playoffs. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Pigrome led the Cougars to 731 points in 15 games this season. That set the new Class 6A scoring record for a single season.

"People like to think players play to the crowd and that's why they do it," said Pigrome, who cites Oregon as the one scholarship offer he covets. "I was inspired to play well this year for our seniors and the other players on the team. I love these guys. They are like my brothers. We had to win it for them. I remember thinking before the big games and I was about to cry because there was no way we could lose for those guys. I played this season for those seniors in their last year of football. Those guys helped me out a lot."

Check out his 2014 highlights. Looks at the big explosive plays during the playoffs. Nearly every one of them came on third down.

"All the big plays through all five playoff games are on third down," Clay-Chalkville offensive coordinator Stuart Floyd said. "Some of it is against man coverage. Some of it are his receivers making a big play. He was always ready to keep our team on the field and move the chains on third down."

The Class 6A All-State quarterback currently holds offers from South Alabama and Southern Miss. He began the year leading Clay to 589 yards of total offense on ESPNU against a Nicevile team that went deep into the high school playoffs in that state's largest classification.

He even found a way to handle his emotions and not lose focus in the state championship game after falling down 24-16 when the actions of a few Saraland players got in his head a little bit. He responded with an ensuing drive that closed the gap to 24-22.

There's remarkable symmetry to his season. Pigrome scored four times against Niceville. He cruised down the right sideline in the opening game and crossed the goal line on a long run at the bottom of the field and immediately handed the ball to an official.

He scored five times in the Class 6A state championship against Saraland. His 47-yard touchdown run came with 2:10 to play in the game. When he crossed the goal line, he maybe went the same three steps deep into the end zone and handed the ball to an official at the top of the field.

Both performances were inspired by the same ritual. Pigrome made it a habit to make the same mix of highlight videos of the same college quarterbacks. There was Cam Newton at Auburn, Braxton Miller of Ohio State and finally 2014 Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota of Oregon. He watches Miller first, Mariota second and finishes with Newton.

He couldn't watch those highlights before the Decatur game. He couldn't get network service on his cell phone. He only scored one touchdown that night and threw one of his seven interceptions. He managed just 88 passing yards and was missing his mojo that night.

"I believe it," Floyd said. "That was his worst game of the season."

Pigrome broke his collar bone during a junior varsity game last season and missed most of the year playing behind 6A All-State quarterback Hayden Moore. Moore is now impressing at Cincinnati. That injury is an example of Pigrome being a player who's happy to stick to the same pregame routine.

That was the one time he didn't put on the same lucky pair of animal print socks. He wears three pairs on Friday nights now and his lucky pair of white socks underneath those. He wears a size-9 shoe, but needs to wear a 10.5 football cleat because of all those socks.

The Cougars were putting together his highlight tape for this season. Floyd deemed 251 of them as explosive plays that were candidates for his video resume. He can clock the 40 yard dash in 4.5 seconds and can drive the ball 60 yards down the field.

"The play that gets me thinking we might have something special here is we play our first game on ESPNU and its a big game in our minds," Hood said. "We fumble the first snap and then we fumble a hand off."

The Cougars still managed a first down and then called on No. 8 to run the football on a designed play.

"He takes it and runs over a kid to get us on the other side of the field," Hood said. "What that showed us was that number one he understood what we are trying to do when we need him to run the ball. The second thing it showed was he had the attitude that was going to make everybody look at him and say he's not a pretty boy quarterback and we're ready to roll."

The thing about Pigrome is he could care less about those 61 touchdowns and the attention they will bring.

"My coaches are worried about me getting the big head with all this attention," Pigrome said. "That's the last thing I will be. I don't want to be set aside from anyone else I play with. I just want to be seen as another guy on the team with his own job to do. Guys with the big head and guys stunting on themselves is just not for me. Guys with the big head can hurt their teams. That's not me."

Editor's note: The 2014 Birmingham News All-Metro football team will be released on Tuesday, December 23.

MEET TY PIGROME

A closer look at the 2014 Birmingham News Metro Football Player of the Year

School: Clay-Chalkville

Year: Junior

Position: QB

Height and weight: 5-10/180

Age: 17 (He turned 17 on Dec. 22)

All-Metro resume: He threw 36 touchdown passes and ran for 24 more scores during his first season as the varsity quarterback. He completed 67 percent of his passes for 2,692 yards and averaged 8.6 yards per rush attempt for another 1,254 yards. He led the Cougars to a 15-0 season. The team set the new Class 6A scoring record with 731 points this season.

Why he wears No. 8: Its because of Hoover great Chad Jackson. His mother was a big fan of his when he starred at Hoover from 1999-2002. That's why Pigrome donned that jersey in rec ball.

Favorite car: A red Bugatti

Favorite Christmas gift: A "Ninja" motorcycle he got when he was in elementary school

Favorite college team: Oregon

Favorite dessert: Red Velvet cake

Favorite dream date: His girlfriend Eriel Ashley (She's a junior at Spain Park)

Favorite food: Chicken fingers (with honey mustard)

Favorite player growing up: Oregon RB De'Anthony Thomas

Favorite route to throw: The "Cop" route. (Its a corner post.)



Favorite school subject: Coach Drew Gilmer's Anatomy class

Favorite teacher: Gilmer

Favorite TV show: The 1990s hit "Martin" starring comedian Martin Lawrence.

What he'd like to get for Christmas this year: The chance to play one more football game with Clay-Chalkville senior RB Terrelle West.

Jeff Sentell covers prep sports for AL.com and the Birmingham News. Follow him on Twitter for the latest high school cool across Alabama.

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