As the Virginia football team prepares for the challenge of slowing down Philip Rivers and NC State's potent passing attack this Saturday, the Cavaliers hope that they can rely on a strong performance from junior safety Jermaine Hardy.
Hardy has proved up to the task so far this season, leading the team in tackles despite having switched from cornerback in the spring.
"For a first-year safety, his progress has been very good," Virginia coach Al Groh said.
In addition to being a prolific tackler for the Cavaliers, Hardy ranks second on the team in interceptions behind senior cornerback Almondo Curry. One of those interceptions came at a critical juncture of the Clemson game with the Tigers driving deep into Cavalier territory. The other came last Saturday, with Hardy making a one-handed grab at the end of the Troy State contest.
"The ball came my way and the only way I could get it was to reach out with one hand and grab it," Hardy said.
In the Florida State game, Hardy almost had another interception but was denied that chance because of an official's controversial ruling that the ball hit the ground.
"I looked at it on film, and it looked like the ball hit the ground, but I thought I caught it during the game," Hardy said. "I thought it was a great play."
Hardy's play has improved every season he has played for Virginia. After intercepting one pass and finishing with eight tackles as a true freshman, Hardy's production increased as a sophomore. He ended up with 48 tackles and two interceptions, tying Curry for the most by a Virginia cornerback. One of those came during the Maryland game, leading to the Cavaliers' first touchdown and completely swinging the momentum in his team's favor. This season, he already has amassed 46 tackles and has led the team in that category in seven out of eight games thus far.
As a junior who has played since Groh's arrival in 2001, Hardy is playing the role of elder statesman on a young Virginia defense.
"He's a leader to the younger guys on the team now, the younger guys who play safety," Curry said. "He tries to get them to do the little things that will help them get better -- the things that helped him get better to the point where he is now."
Despite his successes this season, Hardy's play has occasionally fallen under the radar. However, he is slowly earning more recognition as the season progresses. Hardy has had to make a name for himself as a safety this season, but that is not something with which he is unfamiliar.
"When I first got here, my name was all taken," Hardy said. "There was a Marcus Hardy and a Jamaine Winborne. All my names were taken, so I had to make a new name: Jay Hardy."
Hardy has reason to stay motivated and maintain his performance the remainder of the season. Last summer, four of his cousins died in his hometown of Roanoke, and Hardy has dedicated this season to them.
"I'm dedicating the season to my family, so I'm just going to go out there and play hard every game," Hardy said. "I had four deaths of my cousins, so I'm dedicating it to them."
With both prolific passing teams such as NC State and powerful rushing teams like Virginia Tech left on the Cavaliers' schedule, Hardy will be depended upon to continue making tackles and interceptions during the season's home stretch.
Read More
West Coast woes strike again as men’s basketball gets hammered by Stanford
By Emory Huffman | 8 hours agoVirginia, once again in a lost season, looked aimless on the floor.
ISTVAN: Tony Bennett left Virginia in a hole
By Ben Istvan | 17 hours agoHis decision to retire doomed this men's basketball season.
