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'05 NC RB Montario Hardesty (Tennessee signee)

Buckskin86

Moderator
MONTARIOHARDESTY200.JPG


http://rivals100.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=28710

http://scout.theinsiders.com/a.z?s=73&p=8&c=1&nid=1167935

All-purpose back
New Bern (NC)

Height: 6-foot-0
Weight: 190 pounds
40-yard dash: 4.5 seconds
Bench reps: 20
Squat max: 475 pounds
Vertical leap: 37 inches
Shuttle time: 4.15 seconds
GPA: 2.7
SAT: 850

Biography:
Hardesty: "I have good vision and see where the holes are. I use my speed good. Also on defense I'm not afraid to come up and hit. I want better 40 speed and better hands, especially catching the ball in the backfield."

JR Stats: 256 carries/2050 yds/19 TDs; 12 rec/304 yds/3 TDs

BPs 335/SQs 475/VJ 38

Track: 10.36-100m/21.65-200m/50.0-400m

2.9/890 SAT

http://www.newbernsj.com/SiteProces...ates/Details.cfm&StoryID=17628&Section=Sports

Hardesty still mulling over numerous scholarship offers, will visit Nebraska
September 24,2004
Jeremy Slayton
Sun Journal Staff

New Bern running back Montario Hardesty is one of the most highly-recruited players in North Carolina, receiving offers or interest from most of the schools in the Atlantic Coast Conference and several other big-time colleges, such as Notre Dame, Nebraska and Ohio State.

Despite the heavy interest, Hardesty, a senior running back at New Bern, has set up just one official visit.

He will travel to Lincoln, Neb., next weekend to attend the Cornhuskers' Big XII conference game against Kansas. The Bears are off that weekend.

Although that is his only scheduled official visit right now, Hardesty said he will go to Blacksburg, Va., Saturday to attend the Virginia Tech/N.C. State clash in Lane Stadium.

Both Virginia Tech and N.C. State are front runners for his choice in schools, he said.

His list also includes Tennessee, Clemson, Nebraska, Ohio State, South Carolina and Florida State, he said.

In total, Hardesty said he had 19 or 20 official offers from schools.

Despite the heavy interest, Hardesty is staying humble about all the attention.

"I guess somebody must like [my ability], I guess. I mean, I work hard, really," Hardesty said Wednesday.

Hardesty leads the area with 463 yards rushing on 73 carries (6.3 average) and has scored five touchdowns. He also has six receptions for 78 yards.

New Bern will host Southeast Raleigh tonight at 7:30 in Caruso-Coates Stadium.

Hardesty is coming off his worse statistical game of the season in a 29-0 win over Wilmington Laney last Friday. A steady rain prior to kick off left a sloppy and wet field. The conditions played a part in Hardesty's season-low 59-yard performance.

But throughout the game, Hardesty held on to the ball despite the conditions.

"That was the main thing. I wasn't going to fumble 'cause they were fumbling and it was giving us a short field," said the running back. "So, I was making sure that wasn't something I was going to do. It was real hard to run that game. I just tried to get out all I could from that game really."

Rivals premium

tOSU is trying to get in on the recruitment of Monario. He has an impressive offer list including Florida, Tennessee, Notre Dame etc.. tOSU is one of his 8 favorites even though they have not offered yet. He had 400 yds rushing and 200 yds receiving through the first 4 games.

His fifth game last night

Hardesty finished the game with 147 yards on 27 carries to pace New Bern (5-0). He scored the game's opening touchdown on a 12-yard run in the first quarter.
 
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http://www.newbernsj.com/SiteProces...ates/Details.cfm&StoryID=17794&Section=Sports

North Carolina standout enjoys trip to Nebraska

Oct 07, 2004 -

By Randy Jones
New Bern Sun Journal

To say New Bern running back Montario Hardesty was impressed by his official visit to Nebraska over the weekend would be a slight understatement.

"I liked it, I really liked it a lot," Hardesty said after the Bears practice on Monday.

Hardesty arrived for his visit Friday on a typically cool fall day in the Midwest.

The first thing he noticed was the terrain on the drive from Omaha, where his plane landed, to Lincoln.

"I saw the cornfields while I was driving from Omaha. There was nothing. Just plains," Hardesty said with a laugh. "The city was more than I expected. I thought it was going to be some small place, but it was straight. … It was cool. Real cool."

The visit was the first official one for Hardesty, who has "19 or 20" scholarship offers at the moment. The senior running back has toured campuses at North Carolina and Virginia among others. While the entire process has been hectic, Hardesty said he is beginning to get the picture of where he wants to end up. Next up will be the decision on which other schools he will officially make a trip to before National Signing Day on Feb. 2.

"I don't have any scheduled right now, but I'm probably going to head to Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Ohio State and Clemson. Maybe N.C. State," Hardesty said.

But the excitement of his trip to Nebraska has yet to wear off. It's easy to see that Hardesty, who has rushed for 610 yards on 100 carries with five touchdowns so far this season, is still giddy about the trip -- the entire time he talked about it, his grin was ear to ear.

First impressions were also great for Hardesty. When he arrived at his hotel the layout of his room was impressive.

"I opened up the door to my room and they had a cake in there that said 'Welcome to Nebraska, Montario.' There was food already in there. I sat there and ate for about an hour and thirty minutes," he said laughing.

Next up was the tour of campus and the facilities, which Hardesty said were top notch. Before the Cornhuskers took on the Kansas Jayhawks he got to take the field through the tunnel.

"Field was nice. I got to walk through the tunnel walk before the players walked out and I came out …. they were calling my name when I came out in the stadium. It was great. I liked the coaches. It was cool."

The crowd at Memorial Stadium, which has been sold out since 1962, made a big impression on the 6-foot, 195-pounder.

"It was going crazy. You got off the bus and the people were going crazy," he said. "The fans were loud the whole game, even when they were doing bad. The fans were still super the whole game. That was the best thing about it really.

Despite being mainly recruited by running backs coach Randy Jordan, head coach Bill Callahan made a lasting mark as well.

"I talked to him. He's cool, man," Hardesty said. "And he's smart. When he talks to you he looks you right in the eye. My dad and my uncle liked him, too."

Hardesty said he was with a group of five other recruits during the visit. All of them were "top guys you see in the rankings." One was wide receiver Nyan Boateng from Brooklyn, N.Y.

In all, Hardesty said the visit was excellent. After talking about it for about 20 minutes he graded his experience.

"On a scale of 1 to 10? Probably about an eight and a half," he said.

He also finished off with one last thing -- "It was nice man, real nice."
 
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i live here in new bern, north carolina. the whole town loves this kid. i teach and coach at a rival school and all i hear is "hardesty did this, hardesty did that."

kid has state championship track speed and is a big 190. next time i go see new bern play i'm going to get a OH/IO chant going with my brother.

i'd love to see him as a buckeye!
 
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http://www.newbernsj.com/SiteProces...ates/Details.cfm&StoryID=18354&Section=Sports

Hardesty returns from visit to Tennessee
November 09,2004
Jeremy Slayton
Sun Journal Staff

As Notre Dame put the finishing touches on their upset of then-No. 9 Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday afternoon, New Bern running back Montario Hardesty was there taking all the sights.

Hardesty, who was fresh off a 24-carry, 174-yard performance and score the game-winning touchdown in overtime Friday night against Greenville Rose, made an unofficial visit to Tennessee Saturday.

"It was nice. It was unofficial, so I just went to the game. I talked to all the coaches - they were real cool," Hardesty said. "I talked to a couple of players. They have a nice little family set-up that they call it."

Hardesty said he plans on scheduling an official visit to UT in January.

Hardesty took his first official visit to Nebraska the first weekend in October. Because he didn't stay for the full weekend with the Volunteers, he didn't want to compare the experience to the one at Nebraska.

"I didn't stay for the whole weekend, but I just went to a game," said the 6-foot, 195-pound tailback.

Prior to the start of the Tennessee/Notre Dame game, Hardesty said he was able to go on the field at Neyland Stadium, which was filled with 107,266 fans Saturday. He also got to watch the players from both teams warm up during pre-game activities.

"The stadium was going crazy," Hardesty said of the crowd. "It was loud as hell."

ESPN recruiting analyst Tom Lemming has Hardesty rated as the No. 16-rated tailback in the country. So far this season, Hardesty has not disappointed. The senior has rushed for 1,430 yards and scored 16 touchdowns.

After receiving close to 20 scholarship offers, Hardesty has whittled the list down to a handful.

The tailback is considering Tennessee, Nebraska, Virginia Tech, Clemson, North Carolina and N.C. State.

When it comes down to making a final decision - National Signing Day is Feb. 2 - he said it might come down to which position he might play and how soon he can get on the field.

Hardesty said N.C. State is recruiting him as an athlete, while the other five schools are looking at him as a running back.

In the end, he knows it's going to be a touch decision.

"It would be easy if it were like one little school and one big school," said Hardesty. "They're all good, so it's hard."

Hardesty said he believes he can make an impact as a freshman and he wants to do so at a school with a winning tradition.

"I ain't trying to go to no losing school," he said.

Hardesty comes from a New Bern program that won three straight Big East Conference titles and advanced to the consecutive 4-AA state championship games.

"I know how to win," he said. "Got to make sure everybody has that same mentality that we're going to win."

Even though no school is a clear favorite - he said they are all recruiting him about equally - he thinks he'll fit in almost anyplace he goes.

Despite all the attention he is getting from college coaches and Internet recruiting sites, Hardesty is focused on football.

He and his Bear teammates began preparing for Friday night's match up against Enloe in the first round of the playoffs.

"When the game's on, I'm focusing on the game. So, it's easy to stay focused on football," he said.

Hardesty will make his next visit Nov. 27 to Blacksburg, Va. to take in the in-state rivalry game between homestanding Virginia Tech and UVA. He did add that he's not sure if it's going to be an official or unofficial visit.
 
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Insiders premium

His official visits include- He has already seen Nebraska, Va Tech is planned for Nov. 27th, he is going to visit ND & Tenn in January and he is also going considering North Carolina State, Ohio State and Virginia. He will also visit Clemson unofficially this weekend.

Tennssee, Notre Dame and Virginia Tech are standing out the most for him.
 
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Rivals premium

Even though the Bucks don't appear to have much of chance with Montario they are still recruiting him. They are scheduled for an in-home visit this week.

Hardesty has already taken official visits to Nebraska, Virginia Tech and UNC. Tennessee is also set for Jan. 14. He may also go to ND this weekend.
 
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