If it were not for Wayne Hardin, I would not believe winning football was possible at Temple University.
Hardin was around, still is, and for that I am a fan and I am a believer.
The ballots were released yesterday for College Football's Hall of Fame and there are nine coaches on it.
I don't see a more deserving coach than coach Hardin.
Consider just these three facts, if you will:
1) Navy rose to No. 2 in the country with Wayne Hardin as head coach;
2) Temple rose to No. 17 in the country (both polls) with Wayne Hardin as a head coach.
3) Neither school has been anywhere near those rankings since.
 |
| Two Hall of Fame Coaches |
Hardin worked a miracle in Annapolis when it was nearly impossible to get numbers of great players to commit to Navy when the military demanded a five-year commitment.
He beat Army in four of the five years he faced the Cadets.
When Army's defensive secondary was widely considered the No. 1 backfield in the nation, they were given the nickname "Chinese Bandits."
For the game that year, Hardin had "Beat Army" written on the sides of the Navy helmets.
In Chinese.
Brilliant stuff.
Navy destroyed Army that day.
If one miracle wasn't enough, he worked one in Philadelphia the next decade as head coach at Temple University, becoming the winningest coach in its history.
Before Temple played California in the Garden State Bowl, the Cal coaches wanted a film exchange with the Temple coaches. Hardin asked which coaches wanted the film.
He tailored the Temple game plan to what the Cal coaches saw in the film and did the opposite in the bowl game.
Temple led, 21-0, before Cal knew what Hardin was doing.
By then, it was too late.
Temple won, 28-17.
I never knew a man who was right about everything but the closest man who fit that description was Wayne Hardin.
"We'll work toward getting Wayne Hardin into the College Football Hall of Fame because that's where he deserves to be," ex-Temple coach Al Golden said one month before his departure.
I hope Al hasn't forgotten that promise and can take time out from his busy schedule to beat the drum for coach whenever he gets a chance.
I hope Steve Addazio does whatever he can do as well.
I've waited close to 30 years for another Wayne Hardin to arrive at Temple and I hope Steve Addazio is that guy and, while Bruce Arians and Al Golden did nice work, no one has come close to Hardin since.
Frankly, I don't think anyone ever will.
Today's coaches could learn a lot from the way Hardin prepared for a game.
Hardin could break down game film and attack a team's weakness better than any coach I ever saw.
They say you need three certifiable miracles for Sainthood.
Well, Hardin has two documented ones and that's all you should really need for the College Football Hall of Fame.
