| Herald-Journal
Montario Hardesty coached in his teens long before he really realized it, since his childhood in North Carolina.
Officially introduced on Tuesday as the running back coach at the University of South Carolina, Hardesty now says, “I would like to say that I have always been a coach.”
Hardesty, who turned 34 last week, described his high school alma mater – New Bern – as having a very strong football program that produced players annually with the ability to win a scholarship to play at the top level. The problem was the same as that of the most successful programs across the country: often, the most athletic-gifted teenagers were not always willing to work in and out of the classroom to achieve their goals.
So Hardesty, who became a highly recruited star on the Tennessee tennis team before a second serious knee injury hindered his promising NFL career, became something of a mentor to teenagers his age.
“There were times when the guys were good enough to go to Division I, but they didn’t have the grades or they didn’t have a work ethic or anything,” said Hardesty. “My four close friends, my younger brother, we were all (to play) the first division of football, and I considered myself coaching these guys.
“I used to get up in the morning to work out and do things like that.”
The crystal clear understanding that he could end up training as his profession came before his high school season. He was elected team captain by his teammates and went on to run 282 times for 1,345 yards with 13 touchdowns. He was also working on a dual specialization in sports management and business administration.
He was sitting with an assistant coach from Tennessee, expressing some surprise at having just been named captain of the team “because I really didn’t try to talk too much to anyone and be the captain, but the coach said, ‘Guys gravitate towards how you You do the right things and I would hire you as a coach. ‘So it made me think,’ When I’m done, I want to go back and train. ‘
“I’ve always had great coaches along the way, starting at age 7 in AAU athletics and basketball, going out and seeing (country). I think my passion is helping the guys and building relationships, so the most important thing for me is helping these guys getting from Point A to Point B. “
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Hardesty seems exceptionally skilled to lead a group of USC running backs who are now experiencing third position as coach in less than a year. Thomas Brown left shortly before last season for the same position at the Los Angeles Rams, before Des Kitchings was the coach of the season, before recently leaving for the same job at the Atlanta Falcons.
Hardesty passed several assistants in his position while in Tennessee and then in the NFL with Cleveland. He also broke a previous cruciate ligament as a freshman and again during the preseason of his NFL debut year. USC’s Kevin Harris became one of the SEC’s best running backs this year after replacing top recruit MarShawn Lloyd, who tore an ACL in the preseason.
“I think (Hardesty’s) story is fantastic, certainly in relation to the running backs we have on our team,” said USC coach Shane Beamer. “It is difficult for any player to have so many coaches in such a short time.”
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Beamer added that Hardesty’s gaming experience in college and in the NFL is attractive to student-athletes, and the adversities he has endured are inspiring as well.
“Whenever you can have a coach on your team who has played in the NFL, it is a fantastic resource to have,” said Beamer. College players “think they will go to the NFL and have a 10-year career, which is unrealistic. (Hardesty) had high hopes and had an unfortunate injury in a preseason game and so his career basically ended.
“At that time, he didn’t say he played in the NFL and hoped to be hired as a great coach right away. He pursued that passion. I have a lot of respect for his career and for knowing what he wanted to do and doing everything in his power to pursue a dream. to be a college coach and try to improve yourself every year. “
After his NFL career was limited to one season, Hardesty started training at Division II Chowan (NC) College before training for two seasons at Norfolk (Va.) State in 2015-16, the last time he trained his loved ones. running backs. He spent a season assisting strength and conditioning at the Florida Atlantic and a year overseeing quality control in Tennessee before spending the last two years as Charlotte’s wide receiver trainer.
Now he is back to his first true love – running backs – and still at the SEC.
“Training running backs at the SEC was one of my dreams,” said Hardesty. “In the beginning I wanted to show the coaches and show me that I could train other positions and also later in life. I wanted to be good at being able to organize offenses and things like that, so I wanted to leave (my comfort zone). will only help me.
“But running back is what I’ve played in my whole life. It has always been close and dear to my heart. … I always said running back is the energy initiator, so the only thing I want to see of my boys is for them to bring passion and energy every day to the countryside.
“We will be the starter of the team”.