'This is it, Mama' - A trip to Athens changes it all for the Meeks family
PHENIX CITY, ALABAMA - Phenix City, Alabama, home of the Central High School Red Devils and Georgia commit Jackson Meeks, is Auburn country.
The Tigers play just forty-five minutes away, so the spillover feels quite natural.
"Auburn has been our roots. My oldest brother played center for Pat Dye back in the 80's," said Genniefer Meeks, Jackson's mother. "I grew up as an Auburn fan all my life. My whole family is Auburn fans. That's been the start of our football history when it comes to SEC and football."
But now, there's a Bulldog in the family. The University of Georgia jumped into the fold for Meeks' service after his electric performance against national powerhouse Hoover.
There were times of uncertainty, however.
"So initially, Jackson, he just wanted an offer from a power five school, and he just wanted to play his best so that he could receive the offer. Whenever he got the opportunity to show that, he just shined. He wanted to show everybody what he was capable of. Having to wait his turn, to get the opportunity to show that, it's just been mentally challenging just trying to catch a break," Ms. Meeks said.
"When he got it, he was able to show people what he was willing to do, and when that happened, when you put up the numbers, people come. People show up. He got the opportunity to show that, and Georgia showed up big for him. He was just so blessed and so humble after having the game of his life, the game of his high school senior year. It was the highlight of his life, I would say, and of our life. Being a single mom, seeing him get that opportunity to show what he can do on the football field, was amazing to experience, to share with him."
When the Bulldogs showed up for him, Jackson was quick to return the favor, making his way to Athens to check out his potential future home.
That trip was when everything changed.
"I took him up there. I said, 'I'll take you up there to see it,' because we had our home talks and I said, 'I'll take you up there and see the campus.' We got the opportunity to tour the facility as much as we could, as far as COVID could allow us," Ms. Meeks said. "We couldn't go inside anywhere, but we toured the entire campus and downtown, and he was just like, 'This is it, Mama, this is it.' It was just me and him. I said, 'Baby, it's your future and I'm going to support you. If it's Georgia, it's Georgia.' It was nothing but goodness."
For mom, a bit of divine intervention and delving into Georgia's academic status also provided comfort.
"I like to relate everything to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. So I said, 'That G, that G is God.' No, you can't go wrong with that. I said, 'You have G on your chest, and God in your heart. So that's what you want to do, I'm 100 percent supporting you.' He was just excited about the fact they were even interested, and the fact it was a big-time SEC school," she said. "They're number 15 in the country when it comes to universities. Elite. He was just like, 'Where else would we go? Who would we compare it to?' So it was just a true, honest to God blessing from God. I'm just glad he got his break."
Of course, having someone well-versed in the language of the Yellowhammer State also went a long way.
"Oh, man. I had the most amazing conversations with Coach [Kirby] Smart. Our initial conversation lasted an hour," Ms. Meeks said. "We literally talk like Alabamians. To find out he was from a little country town like I was and growing up in a country town, a small town, it made it really feel good to know he was like the homeboy. I've been an educator now for 19 years, and for him to express that his mother and father were educators, that really bonded our relationship and the understanding of who Jackson is and who I am, and I just really feel like we really made a connection there."
Smart made sure to reinforce that not only did he understand Meeks' background but that the senior wideout could flourish in Athens.
"I think one of the main reasons why he decided to go with Georgia's offer is because he was considering the fact that it was close to me. It's not just that, though. He says that Coach Smart is confident in his ability to be his number two, to come in and do what he needs to do to be his number two, because of what he's showing, the ability he's showing out here. I really think with him knowing that he can go in and having that opportunity to show that he has the same capabilities, just like playing behind Justyn Ross and E.J. Williams, ,and someone like Coach Smart believing in that too [was big]. The love that they have shown from that night that he had that big game, they were just committed to making sure he understands their interest."