DaytonDailyNews.com

CINCINNATI — Kirk Herbstreit's voice was hoarse.

"I was in Blacksburg (Va.) Friday and Saturday," he said, clearing his throat. "GameDay was there, show's over at 12, and I caught a Disney private plane that flew me to Cal, and by the time I landed and got to the stadium, I was right on time to do the Cal-Tennessee game with Brent (Musburger).

"I did that telecast, then I went back to the airport, took a red-eye, landed here about 8 local, took a quick shower at a hotel and came right over."

He shook his head, which had the stubble of 24 hours without a shave.

"Man," Herbstreit said, standing on the sidelines as Cincinnati St. Xavier High School played DeMatha, Md., in the Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge at Nippert Stadium. "I don't even know where I am right now."

The busiest man in college football came to his own event Sunday. When a 24-hour period starts in Virginia, goes to California and ends in Cincinnati, you might not think high school football is the main concern.

But with Herbstreit, the Miami Valley native who played quarterback for Ohio State before a career as an ESPN analyst and broadcaster placed him at the center of the college football universe, Friday Night Lights remains his passion.

Wherever he goes, though, Herbstreit gets attention. That's not always a positive.

"When your name starts to become known nationally, people want to be involved with you," he said. "I think you have to be very smart in your selections, surround yourself with good people and be in the right places."

Like his hometown, more often than you would think.

"My sister lives in Centerville, my mom just moved back to the house I lived in when I was in high school, my nieces, my nephews, so I come back quite a bit, actually," he said.

What's on the to-do list?

"I like to go to Dorothy Lane Market, I've tried to encourage the folks there to get to Columbus," he said. "I just lay low. Go to my sister's, sit on the back porch, reminisce. I try to keep things low profile."

Good luck.

"Occasionally I might golf at Yankee Trace, but I try to keep it very family-oriented," he said. "I have so many cherished memories from my childhood."

Those memories keep Herbstreit passionate about high school football, which led him to start the Challenge three years ago. Herbstreit's father, Jim, said Kirk even had the idea for an event pitting Ohio's best high schools against national competitors when he was 7 years old.

"There are a lot of kids doing bad things in the world," Herbstreit said. "Kids that play high school football, they have to make a sacrifice, and I really respect that. I try to encourage kids who are younger to get involved with it, because it's a healthy way to learn a lot about the challenges in life."

He stopped.

"So anyway, I don't want to go on too long."

Go ahead.

Everyone's listening.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389 or knagel@DaytonDailyNews.com.