Jared’s journey
Clark called to lead teammates.
Jared Clark was prepared to give up football.
It’s not that he didn’t love the game, he most certainly did.
But a life-changing experience at a youth camp the summer before his junior year helped Clark realize what his priorities were. And football was not at the top of the list.
“God really did a work in me,” Clark said. “I realized that my priorities weren’t right. I really felt God convicting me to re-prioritize myself and put him in front of football. … I really felt like God wanted me to take football away.”
So for about a week that summer, Clark stepped away from the football program at Siloam Springs. But while doing so, he remained in contact with his coaches and said he spent the time praying and fasting looking for answers.
The response Clark received gave him clarity about what kind of role he could have as a high school football player and a Christian.
He rejoined the Panthers and started every game of the 2019 season at left tackle on the offensive line.
And as much as he’s helped the Panthers on the football field, his teammates and coaches say he’s had even more of an impact off it.
“The kid’s been just a wonderful kid on and off the field,” said Siloam Springs head coach Brandon Craig. “He’s been a leader for us both on and off the field. You can’t look in any program across the state and find a kid that’s going to work as hard and be as committed to the cause of developing Christians as Jared. He’s a coach’s dream. You love to have kids like that throughout your program. And he’s a positive influence on everyone else.”
Big man up front
The Panthers have had big plans for Clark on the offensive line well before he joined the varsity team for the 2018 season.
At 6-foot-3, 305 pounds, he checked all the boxes physically for Siloam Springs and wound up starting every game, mainly at the right guard position.
“We knew he was going to get bigger and stronger and he’s the prototype left tackle for a high
school football kid,” Craig said. “So we moved him over to left tackle (before his junior season).”
Clark started all 12 games last season for the Panthers, bringing his varsity total to 23 starts in two years.
“He’s started all 23 high school football games,” Craig said. “There’s not a lot of kids that can say that. Hopefully this year he’ll be able to take that number into the 30s.”
Siloam Springs offensive line coach Jonathan Johnson said Clark is not only a big guy on the field for the Panthers, but also a large influence in ability and status.
“The kids look up to him,” Johnson said. “He plays the position well. Not just because he’s big but because he knows the position, plays it smart. He shares information up and down the line. He’ll be able to tell every guy up and down the line what their job is. He can play anywhere out there that we need him.”
Johnson said Clark is a very tough kid to go with his brains.
“Really intelligent, really tough,” Johnson said. “How much further do you need to go when it comes to your linemen? If you’ve got a really smart guy who’s really tough and will get after it, the size and stuff, that’s all just a big bonus at that point. He’s got the ability to do some really good things.”
‘Requiring an Isaac of me’
When referring to his struggle with prioritizing faith and football, Clark likened his journey to that of the biblical story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22.
In the well-known story, God asks Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham, being obedient to God, did as he was told, placing Isaac on the altar as an offering. Just before making the sacrifice, Abraham was instructed to not harm Isaac and instead use a ram as the sacrifice.
“God required Abraham to sacrifice Isaac,” Clark said. “Abraham had to because he felt like God wanted him to do that. Same thing with me. I felt like God wanted me to do that (with football).”
Clark said he was ready and willing to give up football, but before a final decision was made, Clark and his dad met with Craig, and the Panthers’ head coach presented Clark with another option.
“When we had the conversation with him and his father, I felt like he could impact more people through football and being a part of a football program long term than he would just outside of here without being a football player,” Craig said. “I thought that could be an advantage for him. That was something I just presented to him as an option, because obviously he’s a big part of what we’re doing here. We wanted to give him an opportunity to bring a message to the kids.”
That was the answer Clark was searching for.
“Coach Craig, he kept talking to me and he opened up the opportunity for me to spread the word of God,” Clark said. “Whenever he said that, God really spoke to me. If I’m going to share with others what God did for me, then I can do this and I can have football back and still be a Christian influence in a public school system.”
Clark believes his willingness to give up football resulted in another door opening.
“I felt like God was requiring an Isaac of me and then he gave it back to me just like he did to Abraham,” Clark said.
Devotion time
Once a week, Clark holds a devotional with his teammates after practice.
On the weekly schedule, it’s simply called “Jared’s time.”
Most of the time, attendance for the event is outstanding, according to the coaches.
Even during the covid-19 pandemic, Clark would still hold meetings over the internet.
“I really feel like the team has grown,” he said. “Not anything on my part, it’s all for the glory of God. I feel like some people have made changes in their life. Not because of me but because of God speaking through me.”
Junior offensive lineman Jace Sutulovich, who has a Division I scholarship offer to New Mexico, is just one of many Panthers who Clark has touched.
Sutulovich said he’s enjoyed Clark’s devotions linking consistency in faith and football along with learning how to deal with failure.
“Outside of football, you’re not going to find a better leader or a better teammate,” Sutulovich said of Clark. “He’s somebody who genuinely has the best interest of everybody on the team at heart. It really shows. For me personally, some of the devotionals he’s done after practice have really touched me and helped me in my walk and all that. It really makes a big difference to a lot of guys.”
Johnson has witnessed the impact Clark has made as well.
“He makes us a better team, not because of Jared Clark the football player but because of Jared Clark the person,” Johnson said. “He’s had an opportunity now that he has stayed with us to witness to all of these kids, stand up and be a mentor to all of them. He’s had a captive audience that he’s been able to really share his heart with and been able to, hopefully, lead some of these young guys in a positive direction. He’s great at that.”
‘Do it with thy might’
“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.” (Ecclesiastes 9:10)
Whenever it comes to his daily walk — including being a football player for Siloam Springs — this is the Bible verse Clark references.
“Whatever I’m going to do, I’m going to give it everything I’ve got,” he said. “If I’m going to be a football player, I’m going to be a Christian football player and do it with all my might. If I’m going to be a preacher and teacher of the word, I’m going to do it with all my might, just like the Bible says. That definitely impacts football and impacts me to be a better football player.”
That’s also the mindset Clark will have this week as he and his Panther teammates will have as they host Rogers at 7 p.m. Friday at Panther Stadium in the first game of what could be an uncertain season because of covid-19.
“We’re just ready to play,” he said. “Coach Craig said ‘never take anything for granted.’ That Friday evening before the whole covid thing went down, we didn’t think we wouldn’t be back on Monday. … We’re ready to play. I feel like we’re anxious, ready to play against somebody else, ready to go full out.”