South Carolina running back coach Gamecocks Montario Hardesty vividly recalls what it’s like to be on the other side of Williams-Brice Stadium.
Hardesty’s first trip inside the South Carolina football stadium was in 2006, during his freshman year with a red shirt in Tennessee. He finished with eight 25-yard runs and a 22-yard reception. The volunteers won, by 31-24.
“I got there and I was like, man,” Hardesty said of that visit, after he was introduced as a member of Shane Beamer’s coaching staff.
“Sure, the introduction, but when we released it, they had ‘Sandstorm.’ As a visiting team leaving and you have to go through the entire student section and they are going crazy, the towels are going.
“For me, this is intimidating for the opposite team. I’m excited to see, to have some fans back there, as long as we have everything under control with what is happening now during this pandemic, but the atmosphere here is too much. There is so much energy in the building that it is crazy to explain. Every time there is a big move or first down, you need to listen … ”
As strong as our pride, as enduring as our passion.
EACH. NOT MARRIED. GAMES. pic.twitter.com/97p9ga0bNh
– Gamecock Football (@GamecockFB) February 10, 2021
“For me, it’s a great place to play, great atmosphere.”
Hardesty certainly remembers playing against some really good players, too.
“First, Chris Culliver, he ran with my younger brother,” he said. “We kind of played around. He’s the same age as my younger brother, so I made a little move with him all my time here.
“(Eric) Norwood, we trained together in Florida, so I saw him a lot. We left the draft the same year. Stephon Gilmore in fact, I trained at the same place where I trained in Florida. He came a little behind me, but he was a very good player. These are the guys that really stand out, guys that I competed against. “
Nowadays, Hardesty is on the South Carolina team with several former Gamecocks players, some of whom were defending the ball.
“Shaq (Wilson), of course, Shaq was here,” said Hardesty. “I trained with Shaq. This is my second time with Shaq coaching. Byron Jerideau it was a beast in the front, but I don’t know if I could see it much outside.
“He was there playing and also (Clifton) Geathers, who was the 6-6 defense. In fact, he was in Cleveland with me, so I remember a lot of guys from South Carolina.
“Right there, it shows the pipeline that South Carolina has to take the guys to the next level and the type of talent that is here. I think this place, I think we can do really great things here. I was kind of excited to digress about those names. “