PICKENS — This time 25 years ago, John Boggs was preparing to take his gridiron talents from Pickens High School to the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.

Kerry Gilstrap/Courier

Pickens’ Ridge Clark, pictured with his stepfather and mother, Kevin and Cynthia Linkenhoker, current Blue Flame coach John Boggs and former coach Chad Seaborn, signed last Wednesday to play football at St. Olaf College.

Now, the former Blue Flame Shrine Bowler is finishing up his first full year at the helm of his alma mater and beaming with pride as his players begin to make the same transition from the high school game to the college game.

Senior lineman Ridge Clark became the first Pickens player to sign a national letter of intent under Boggs’ watch when he inked with St. Olaf College in a National Signing Day ceremony at PHS last Wednesday.

“When you’re in this profession, it’s good to see kids progress and get better and obviously have an opportunity to keep playing at the next level,” Boggs said.

Watching Clark in particular has been enjoyable for Boggs, the coach said.

“He’s a fun kid to be around and a fun kid to work with — he has gotten better every day that I’ve been here,” Boggs said. “I’ve only been here a short time, but seeing the strides he’s made over the last two years have been fun to watch.”

Although Clark said St. Olaf coaches have already told him he’s in line to be a four-year starter at strongside defensive end, the first factor he mentioned when questioned about his reasons for choosing the private Northfield, Minn., school was the educational opportunity he will have.

“Ten percent of their kids do their graduate school at Harvard,” he said.

But Clark is also excited to have his shot to compete at the next level on the field, and he credits his development at Pickens for his readiness to make the transition to college.

“Football’s such a huge thing here, one of the things they said when they wanted me was I was actually college-prepared when it came to playing my position,” he said.

His coach agrees that Clark is ready to take the next step.

“He’s just a strong kid, a hard worker and technically sound,” Boggs said. “He does a really good job getting off the ball and just has one of those motors that goes 100 mph.

“We’re excited for Ridge and his opportunity and look forward to watching him over the next four or five years there.”