‘Dynamic’ -- Hardy, Hoosiers Remain Locked In
Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Rolijah Hardy plays to the Indiana football standard, to the history-making team achievement, to the playoff opportunity that, even more than last year, resonates with possibilities.
The sophomore linebacker, who has emerged as a difference maker on one of the nation’s best defenses, embraces a media appearance in the Don Croftcheck Team Room at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium. Practice for Saturday’s home game against Wisconsin (3-6, 1-5 Big Ten) is 40 minutes in his rearview mirror, held inside at the Mellencamp Pavilion when a blast of winter comes early to Bloomington.
Hardy is asked to describe in one word this 10-0 season that leaves the Hoosiers No. 2 in the rankings and, at 7-0 in Big Ten play, atop the conference standings, a half-game ahead of No. 1 Ohio State.
“Dynamic,” he says. “We did a lot last year, but this year has been really big.”
IU has matched last year’s 10-0, record-setting start and is poised to better its 11-2 finish.
This is amazing stuff considering, until just a few games ago, the Hoosiers were the all-time losingest program in major college football history, that they had gone just 9-27 in the three years before head coach Curt Cignetti arrived and changed everything.
“The standard is set to the highest starting with Coach Cig, and then down to the assistant coaches and players,” Hardy says. “It’s a nice culture.”
Sellout crowds, once a rarity, are now the norm and Hoosier fans are attending away games such as Oregon and Penn State -- both dramatic victories -- in numbers never before seen.
“It’s a complete turnaround,” says linebacker Aiden Fisher, who spent his first two years at James Madison before transferring to IU last year. “When I first got here, I was meeting different athletes. I was curious why nobody talked about football.
“At James Madison, football was everything. I asked them, ‘Do you go to the home games? How does that work here?’ They were like, ‘We haven’t been to games in three years.’ It was weird.
“Now, my family struggles to find tickets, which is a good thing because we’re selling out. So many people now want to support us and be part of something special. Bloomington is special. It just needed a winner, and it finally got one. We’ve been embraced with open arms.”
Excitement pulses throughout Hoosier Nation. The players are aware, Hardy says, but not focused on it.
“We feel it,” he says, “but we try not to let it get into our heads. We take pride in trying to go 1-0 every week. Coach Cig helps us a lot with preparation, which helps us play fast.”
Few Hoosiers play faster than Hardy. His 60 tackles tie him with safety Louis Moore for the team lead. He leads the Hoosiers with six sacks and is third on the team with 9.5 tackles for loss.
That’s a big improvement over Hardy’s freshman season of 22 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss, although he did also have two interceptions and two forced fumbles.
Playing fast is the key, Hardy says. He credits natural ability refined by the coaching of Cignetti and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines, and aided by help from linebacker teammates Fisher and Isaiah Jones.
“Mentally, he’s gotten out of his own head,” Fisher says. “He’s playing confident and fast.”
A deep dive into Haines’ attacking scheme sets up Hardy up for success.
“We really hammer the playbook and technique,” Hardy says. “Coach Haines allows his linebackers to play fast and physical. We run a lot of blitz schemes.”
Adds Fisher: “Ro came in as a young guy trying to digest an entire new scheme. For me, it took a year and a half to get it. You can see how fast he’s been able to do it.
“He played last year and was productive. This year, he’s taken it and run with it. He’s playing confident and fast. He’s very familiar with everything. He’s getting very comfortable with the scheme and what he has to know.”
Once a multi-sport Florida high school athlete who was also an all-state basketball player, Hardy says training for other sports was invaluable preparation for college.
He also insists that he remains the best basketball player in his family, although his sister, Trinity, played for Army’s women’s basketball program. Over four years, she averaged 10.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists.
“We did a lot of 1 on 1s, and of course I won,” Hardy says with a smile. “I taught her everything she knows.”
Hardy is at his best in hostile environments. At Oregon, he had a career-high 13 tackles and a sack. At Penn State, he had 12 tackles and a sack.
Cignetti praises Hardy’s consistency and impact on special teams as well as defense.
“He’s got a great future,” Cignetti says.
IU’s thrilling game-winning rally at Penn State last Saturday was set up by the defense, no surprise given it’s ranked second nationally in points allowed (12.1 points). After struggling to stop the Nittany Lions in the second half, the Hoosiers forced a late-fourth-quarter punt to give the offense a chance.
“They were attacking us deep,” Hardy says. “We were playing run heavy. That’s something we have to fix on the backend. It’s a good lesson to learn. Don’t take your foot off the gas.
“It was up to the defense to stop (Penn State) on that last drive.”
As for IU’s winning drive, capped by Omar Cooper Jr.’s spectacular, Internet-breaking, back-of-the-end-zone, toe-tapping touchdown catch of Fernando Mendoza’s under-extreme-pressure pass, Hardy says, “I wasn’t nervous. We felt Fernando would do what he always does. Coop made a great play.
“Fernando is a good leader. I feel he’s the best quarterback in the country. He shows it by his play.”
Saturday is the final home game of the regular season for seniors such as Fisher, defensive lineman Mikail Kamara, center Pat Coogan, and running back Kaelon Black. The goal is to make it special.
“It will be really big for the seniors,” Hardy says. “We’ll have a big crowd. It should be rocking.”
There will be no letdown from the Penn State victory, he adds.
“It’s a brotherhood here,” he says. “We all try to play for each other. We come as one unit. We don’t take anyone lightly. It’s all about locking in.”