For Hardy, High School Finale was a Game-Changer

The following interview appears in Blue White Illustrated's 2019 Penn State Football Preview magazine, printed and mailed to our subscribers this month and on newsstands throughout the state. To learn more about the issue, CLICK HERE!

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You can’t talk about Daequan Hardy’s recruitment and not talk about the day that changed it all: Dec. 7, 2018.

It was the day of the PIAA Class 5A championship game in Hershey, Pa. Hardy and his Penn Hills teammates were facing Manheim Central, one of Pennsylvania’s all-time winningest programs. Going into the game, all the talk was about Central quarterback Evan Simon, who, at the time, held offers from Connecticut, Pitt, Rutgers, West Virginia and others. He was supposed to be the star of the show.

Hardy had other plans.

By the time the game ended, there was no debate over who the best player on the field had been. Lining up as a wide receiver, defensive back and kick returner, Hardy totaled more than 340 all-purpose yards, scored four touchdowns and intercepted Simon three times. In addition to his two scores on offense, he took an interception 100 yards and then returned a kickoff 84 yards. It was a day Hardy, his family and everyone associated with Penn Hills will never forget, as the Indians went on to upset Manheim Central, 36-31.

“Sometimes I just smile when I go back and think about that game,” Hardy said. “It was so much fun. I can’t remember ever having that much fun playing football. But it also changed everything for me. So I can’t help but smile when I think about it, because it was one of the best moments of my life.”

If there was one thing that really changed in the days that followed, it was Penn State’s interest in adding him to their recruiting class. Hardy immediately heard from other schools, too, including Pitt, but he had piqued James Franklin’s interest with his performance against Manheim Central, and he already had another admirer on Penn State’s coaching staff.

“I’ve been close with Coach [Terry] Smith for a couple years,” Hardy said. “I first really got to know him through my teammate and his nephew, Tank Smith. I remember when he came to one of my games during my junior year and I had a few interceptions. Ever since then, me and Coach Terry have been good. We always stayed in touch and had a good relationship.”

Prior to the state championship game, Smith’s conversations with Hardy were more casual. “He would ask about how my season was going, stuff like that,” Hardy said. “But after that game, that’s when it all changed. Literally the day after that it all changed.”

Following the early signing period in December, Hardy was one of several prospects that Penn State was still considering. A defensive back and a special teams playmaker were high on the staff’s wish list, but there were concerns about whether Hardy’s size – he stands 5-foot- 9, 170 pounds – would hinder him at the Football Bowl Subdivision level.

That was an issue throughout his recruitment, and not just with Penn State. In the spring of 2018, Michigan, Michigan State and Nebraska all extended offers. Hardy even went out to Michigan to visit the two Big Ten programs. At one point, he thought one of those schools would become his future home.

“At the end of my junior year, I tried to commit to Michigan,” he said. “They told me they were waiting for other players to see what they were going to do first. So, after that, I just disregarded them.”

The scholarships at Michigan State and Nebraska also disappeared over the summer, but Hardy was never bothered. He was confident that someone would give him a chance.

“I never got upset about it because I see a lot of people in the NFL that are my size,” Hardy said. “Look at Julian Edelman. Super Bowl MVP. So I always knew that, no matter where I go, I’m going to get an opportunity to prove myself.

“But at the same time, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want the chance to play at a big school like Penn State, just because I know I’m cut out for it.”

With only 10 days remaining in the 2019 recruiting cycle, it looked as if Hardy was destined to end up at a school in the Mid-American Conference: Buffalo. During the final weekend in January, he spent time on Penn State’s campus, taking an official visit, but Hardy went back to Pittsburgh without an offer. Franklin and Smith made it clear that there was still a chance, but Hardy was understandably upset when he left that day.

As the calendar turned to February, he took one last official visit to Akron, holding out hope that an offer from Penn State would come.

“Two days before signing day, I actually committed to Buffalo,” Hardy said. “I didn’t announce it publicly. I was going to announce on signing day. But then, the next day, Coach Smith calls me up. I’ll never forget it. I was at lunch. He asked, ‘Do you really want to go to Penn State? How much do you want this?’ Of course, I just kept telling him yes and that it was my dream school.

“He then let me know about the offer, and I’ll just never forget that feeling. As soon as I got off the phone with him, I called my mom. She was screaming and going nuts. It felt good making her proud, and all my friends were excited. One of my friends actually came on the microphone and announced to the entire school that I got the Penn State offer. I came back into the cafeteria and everyone was going nuts.”

Hardy began his time at PSU last month, enrolling June 10. He knows the next level won’t be easy, but like all great athletes, he’s also confident that he’ll be able to show Nittany Nation that he belongs.

“All I ever wanted was a chance at this level. That’s all I was hoping for,” Hardy said. “I know there are people who will doubt me and think I’m too small or whatever. That’s OK. I know how hard I work and I know how much I want this. I’m excited for the opportunity. I’m excited to show every one what I can do.”

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