CAROLINE GENCO | The Observer
CAROLINE GENCO | The Observer
Hardy waited to get his shot at playing time in his first two seasons, during which he didn’t see the field. After a junior season in which he became a contributor in the secondary, he again had to wait during his senior season — this time, it was to find out if he would return after he was held out as part of an investigation into “suspected academic dishonesty.”
Hardy was cleared by the NCAA to participate in competition Nov. 7, and he made his season debut the following day against Arizona State. Hardy recorded his only tackle of the season to date against the Sun Devils.
Hardy did not see any playing time during his first two seasons. He appeared in 10 games last season, starting against Pitt and BYU.
Hardy made 26 tackles, including one tackle for loss, last season. He accounted for 15 tackles in his two starts, recording a career-high eight tackles against BYU and seven stops against Pitt.
A Reynoldsburg, Ohio native, the 5-foot-11.5, 202-pound Hardy comes from an athletic background. His father, Bill Hardy, played baseball for Youngstown State, and his brother, Terrance Brown, played receiver at Michigan State from 1998 to 2001. Another brother, Eisen Hardy, played cornerback and safety at Ohio Dominican from 2009 to 2012.
Hardy was named to the Associated Press Ohio Division I all-state first-team as a defensive back for Pickerington Central High School in 2010. He recorded 63 tackles, six pass breakups and four interceptions during his senior season.
Hardy is enrolled in the College of Arts and Letters, majoring in sociology.
Notre Dame declined to make Hardy available for an interview.
