FLOWERY BRANCH — Upon taking the head football coaching position at Flowery Branch last year, Chris Griffin faced a daunting task. Not only would he be expected to expand on the school’s burgeoning tradition on the gridiron, he’d also be expected to continue a legacy of cultivating collegiate talent.

If Wednesday’s National Signing Day is any indication, Griffin did a good job helping his players take their talents to the next level.

Of the six Flowery Branch seniors who signed with colleges on one of the busiest days during the college football offseason, four of them inked letters of intent with Division I, FBS programs, making the Falcons’ Class of 2013 signees one of the largest in team history and one of its most heralded.

“Most of them have had this dream for their entire lives,” Griffin said. “To get to this day, it’s exciting to see the fruit of their labor come about. It’s been a good year, and I couldn’t have done it without these guys.”

Making their way from the Friday night lights of Falcon Field to BCS Conference programs this year are defensive backs Darius Curry (Oklahoma State) and Noel Padmore (Indiana), offensive lineman Chandler Bridges (Louisville) and linebacker Kristopher Smith (Indiana).

With each player officially joining their new team as three-star prospects, according to Scout.com, the tradition of Flowery Branch football players ascending the Division-I level is stronger than ever.

“It’s great for Flowery Branch High School and it’s great for our community,” Griffin said. “Not only does the community support Friday night football, but now they can watch it on Saturday, and hopefully we’ll have a kid playing on Sundays.”

The recruiting process was familiar to Griffin, having coached as an assistant at Flowery Branch since the school’s opening in 2002 before replacing former head coach Lee Shaw last year.

But until 2012, Griffin was never the initial point of contact for college recruiters when they visited Flowery Branch seeking talent.

And with four players each receiving offers from colleges around the nation, the first-year head coach was busier than ever speaking with coaches and helping his players make their commitment decisions.

“It’s crazy. It’s a 12-month long process, whether it’s coming on campus or setting up visits to their school,” Griffin said. “The letters that come in, the emails, the phone calls. It’s a very tiring process for everybody, but obviously, it’s for the good.”

Unlike other Division-I prospects, who often remain uncommitted up until signing day, Flowery Branch’s signees had secured their decision long before making it official.

Bridges was the first to commit, picking Louisville in the summer before the 2012 season began.

Bridges said the decision was simple after meeting coach Charlie Strong, who opted to remain with the Cardinals this offseason by signing an eight-year contract despite being a favored candidate for head coach openings around the country.

“I wanted to go to a place where I knew I was playing with a man of character, and Coach Strong just really stuck out as one of those people, as far as him compared to all the other colleges that I was being looked at by,” Bridges said. “In the end, because I knew the type of coach he was and the type of program he was going to build, that was the biggest indicator for me.”

Louisville’s upset over No. 3 Florida in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 3 didn’t hurt either.

“I was so thrilled to see that,” Bridges said. “What a huge win that was for the program as far as publicity for the Louisville Cardinals and national rankings. It was fantastic.”

Like Bridges, Curry committed to Oklahoma State before the 2012 season, confirming his family ties to the Cowboys program.

His older brother and 2012 Flowery Branch graduate C.J. Curry is a current wide receiver at Oklahoma State, and was a major part of Darius’ recruiting process. He offered advice as more and more colleges offered scholarships, but never told Darius to join him in Stillwater, Okla., unless it was exactly where he wanted to play.

“There really aren’t a lot of negatives, but he told me to make sure that I pick a place that’s good for me,” Curry said. “He told me, ‘don’t go to Oklahoma State just because I’m here. Make it your choice.’”

Now the second Curry at Oklahoma State, the two brothers will play on opposite sides of the ball. Darius was recruited as a defensive back after recording 41 tackles and an interception from the cornerback position last season.

But having played 12 different positions during his high school career, Curry’s goal is to be more than just a defensive back for the Cowboys. He totaled 441 yards of offense and four touchdowns for Flowery Branch in 2012, and has spoken to Oklahoma State coaches about the possibility of being a return specialist.

“It feels pretty good to be part of a great family like Oklahoma State,” Curry said. “I’m just excited to get up there, start working hard and start playing.”

Curry’s commitment to the Cowboys is the only blood-related family tie among Flowery Branch’s signees.

But for Smith and Padmore, who will attend Indiana together this fall, the relationship is nothing short of brotherhood.

Both players committed to the Hoosiers in December, with Padmore making his decision a day after Smith.

They consider themselves to be best friends, having been so since Smith arrived at Flowery Branch last March from Greater Atlanta Christian, where he played under current Flowery Branch defensive coordinator Felix Curry.

Padmore was one of the first players Smith met when he joined the Falcons, and they’ve been inseparable since.

“He’s one of my best friends,” Padmore said. “We had talked about going to school together, but we had never really made it serious. Once I found out he had committed, I committed too.”

Together they anchored the Flowery Branch defense last season. At linebacker, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound Smith racked up 103 tackles, 21 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. He recorded a game-winning sack against Gainesville to help the Falcons win their first-ever region championship on Nov. 9.

A few yards away in the secondary, Padmore became one Hall County’s premier cornerbacks, recording 44 tackles and one interception last fall after a breakout junior campaign in 2011.

Padmore and Smith plan to room together at Indiana in the fall.

None of the four Flowery Branch signees say they expect to redshirt as freshmen, giving Griffin and the rest of the Falcons program an opportunity to watch their former standouts make plays on Saturdays as early as this fall.

It’s part what makes Griffin’s job so rewarding.

“Ultimately, you coach the game to create men and to prepare them for life,” Griffin said. “Not every kid can play college football, but the majority of them have that dream. It’s my job to facilitate and be a resource to help as many kids as possible to get an education at the next level, and continue to be able to play.”