Daequan Hardy's growth evident as Penn State DB continues to prove himself
Daequan Hardy's remit for Penn State Nittany Lions football since he arrived on campus has been consistent.
He's worked constantly to prove himself, and win the trust of Penn State's coaching staff.
To the surprise of some, Hardy has done exactly that. Excluding specialists, Hardy is the only prospect given a two-star rating by Rivals who the Nittany Lions have signed since 2016. He's made that designation look silly, stepping in to become a regular for the Nittany Lions at the nickel position last season and hanging onto that spot so far this season despite an influx of talented cornerback depth.
"Last year, I started at nickel by Week Three I believe, and I wasn't getting that many reps because coaches didn't have that much trust in me," Hardy said. "But as the trust built, and I got more familiar with the system, I believe it enhanced my playing speed and [recognition]."
In a sense, Hardy has been proving himself to the Penn State coaching staff since before he arrived on campus.
The Nittany Lions offered Hardy a scholarship after he put in a monster showing in a state title game for Penn Hills during his senior season. Hardy piled up two receiving touchdowns, a kickoff return touchdown, and a pick six. He went home with a state title and an offer from the Nittany Lions.
"His state championship game, which we were at, that really pushed us over the limit to offer him a scholarship. It was one of the most impressive individual games I've ever seen," James Franklin said earlier this season. "And specifically in that type of game, state championship game, I think he had [four] touchdowns in the game, and all different ways, a reception, a kickoff return and interception return."
Hardy wasn't focused on earning a Penn State offer at the time — not with a state championship on the line. He was focused on winning.
But the offer came, and he signed with the Nittany Lions not long after.
Now a redshirt sophomore, he's emerged as one of the more impactful cornerbacks on Penn State's roster.
Hardy's snap total for this season sits at 53 after two games. He's been targeted eight times, allowing three receptions for a total of 11 yards.
On Saturday, he topped off what has been an excellent start to the season with an interception of Ball State quarterback Drew Plitt.
Hardy had seen a tendency from Ball State on film that led him to believe his man was running a corner route in that situation, and his intuition was correct.
"I undercut the rout and just made the play," he said.
It was a great moment for Hardy, one that highlighted a trend of growth that has been moving in the right direction for a long time.
"Early on, I think one of his issues was, [he was] a little bit undersized, and he's gotten bigger, and stronger, and more confident, and I think he's going to have a significant role for us," Franklin said.
"I'm really proud of him. He's just doing really well in a lot of different areas.”
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