You can take Lane Kiffin out of Tennessee but apparently can’t take the Tennessee out of Lane Kiffin. Sort of.
Everybody’s favorite Group of Five head coach announced the latest addition to his staff at Florida Atlantic late on Wednesday night and it’s a name that many Vols fans will instantly recognize in the form of Montario Hardesty.
New Owl landing tonight. Tennessee Vol Great, Montario Hardesty! Welcome to the family!#GoOwls #Vol4life
— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) August 3, 2017
Hardesty was a three-year starter in Knoxville but had his best season during his senior year that just so happened to overlap with Kiffin’s lone campaign as coach at Tennessee. He eventually became a second round pick of the Cleveland Browns back in 2010 but never could get back on track after suffering a knee injury as a rookie. Hardesty didn’t play in the pros again after 2013 but has transitioned into coaching at the FCS level recently, spending the past two seasons as the running backs coach and special teams coordinator at Norfolk State.
It’s unclear as to what the exact title Hardesty will have with the Owls as the school has not formally confirmed the hire despite Kiffin’s tweet on the matter. The Sun-Sentinel later reported that the head coach said the ex-tailback will have something to do with running the FAU weight room but was light on specifics and he is not listed on the team’s official coaching staff page yet.
Kiffin already has former NFL tailback (and UCF star from years ago) Kevin Smith serving as the team’s running backs coach under OC Kendal Briles.