Hardy Finds the ‘Edge’ To Thrive for the Hoosiers
Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Sometimes, if you’re Rolijah Hardy, you have to bet on yourself, on your ability and determination, and to heck what doubters think.
No major college scholarship offers?
No problem.
Take a year after high school to attend the rigorous Naval Academy Prep School in Rhode Island -- far from Hardy’s Florida home -- with its grueling 10-month program that included cell phone restrictions, challenging workouts and daily 5 a.m. wakeup calls?
No problem.
Wait and wait for a Power Four Conference offer until just before summertime heading into your 2024 freshman season?
No problem.
Indiana finally offered in May of last year, Hardy quickly accepted and the rise up the Hoosier depth chart began. The 5-foot-11, 229-pound sophomore is now a starting linebacker for the No. 23/21 Hoosiers (1-0). He had four tackles and a quarterback hit in last Saturday’s season-opening win over Old Dominion and looks for more in this Saturday’s game against Kennesaw State (0-1) on Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium.
“It made me hungrier,” Hardy says about the year in prep school. “It gave me that edge and drive to push and go harder.”
That drive now finds Hardy more in tune with defensive coordinator Bryant Haines’ attacking scheme. He says he spent the summer working on it with Haines and veteran linebackers Aiden Fisher and Isaiah Jones.
“We hammered the playbook,” Hardy says. “I know the ins and outs of it. I'm very confident in that.”
Confidence includes production. Last year’s true-freshman impact was highlighted by a pick-6 and a forced fumble against Western Illinois, an interception against Nebraska, and a forced fumble against Purdue. Hardy also thrived as a run defender.
By midseason, he had moved from near the bottom of the depth chart into the linebacker “trios package” rotation. He totaled 22 tackles and played a season-high 31 snaps in the season-ending playoff defeat at Notre Dame.
“We knew in practice he was young and it was going to take time to develop,” Fisher says. “Once we got into the season and game plans, he just erupted. He was always in the right spot. He always found the ball. Everything he did was right. He caught on very quickly.
“Athletically, he’s as gifted as anybody. It’s a matter of time for him to catch on mentally and learn those nuances that we have.”
Adds head coach Curt Cignetti: “After the Northwestern game, which was in the middle of the season, (Hardy) became the third linebacker in our trio package, which we use against two tight ends, 12 personnel. He's got a great future.”
Fisher calls Hardy a physical freak in terms of running, lifting and jumping, well suited to the demands of playing linebacker. Now, the mental side is matching the physical. Hardy is mastering the nuances of the position so that the game slows down for him.
Hardy says his learning curve was accelerated last season by watching IU veteran linebacker Jailin Walker, an All-Big Ten player.
“He was great,” Hardy says. “His speed is something that I picked up on. He was able to use his speed to beat blocks in the coverages, and the way he used his hands. It was really good.”
The fact Haines also coaches the linebackers as well as being defensive coordinator also helps, Hardy adds.
“We know what he expects. We know what the standard is. (Linebackers) are the leaders of the defense.”
Hardy says he continues to hit the playbook hard, focusing on pre-snap indicators to “see what the offense is giving away” while fully utilizing his hands and speed.
“It’s all the things a linebacker needs to improve his game.”
How does Hardy explain his knack for forcing opponent mistakes?
“It’s the pre-snap indicators,” he says. “See what the offense gives away, be a ballplayer, and stay in the playbook.”
Athletic success is in the family. Hardy’s sister, Trinity, has led Army in scoring for two-straight basketball seasons. His brother, Derajah, signed to play football at the Naval Academy.
There were early signs significant college achievement was possible for Hardy. He was an outstanding basketball player who once had aspirations of playing that sport for the Hoosiers after watching an aunt, Angela Hawkins, play for the IU women’s team. He earned Florida all-state basketball honors as a Lakeland High School senior.
In football, Hardy began as a high school running back before injuries caused him to move to linebacker, where he thrived. As a senior, he totaled 101 tackles, 11.5 for loss, to help Lakeland win the Class 4S state title. That drew interest from programs such as Florida State, Oregon, Kentucky and Miami, but no scholarship offers.
Interest in the Naval Academy caused Hardy to attend the Naval Academy Prep School before the Hoosiers made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.
“I always believed in myself,” he says. “I knew I could do it. I knew Coach Haines trusted me. Coach Cig trusted me. I also trusted myself. By learning the playbook and being in that type of (linebackers) room, I knew I could do it.”
And so he has.