Mike Hart (American football)

Mike Hart

refer to caption

At a game in Denver in September 2010
No. 32
Position: Running back
Personal information
Date of birth: (1986-04-09) April 9, 1986
Place of birth: Syracuse, New York
Height: 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight: 206 lb (93 kg)
Career information
College: Michigan
NFL draft: 2008 / Round: 6 / Pick: 202
Career history
As player:
As coach:
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2010
Rushing attempts: 71
Rushing yards: 264
Rushing TDs: 2
Player stats at NFL.com

Leon Michael "Mike" Hart (born April 9, 1986) is an American football coach and former player. He currently serves as the running backs coach at Syracuse University. Hart played college football as a running back at the University of Michigan from 2004 to 2007 and holds the Michigan Wolverines career rushing record with 5,040 yards. He was selected by the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL) in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Hart played three seasons for the Colts, mostly in a back-up role, before the team released him in the spring of 2011. He worked as an assistant football coach at Eastern Michigan University from 2011 to 2013 and at Western Michigan University from 2014 to 2015.

Early years

Hart attended Onondaga Central High School just outside Syracuse, New York where he set the national career record for rushing touchdowns (204), career points (for a non-quarterback) with 1,246,[1] and finished second in career rushing yards (11,045). Onondaga Central went 46–1 (.979), losing only a single game to Mohawk Central School, and won three state championships (against Dobbs Ferry, Briarcliff and Cambridge) during Hart's career.

His national career touchdown record of 204 was surpassed by Johnathan Gray in 2011 although he remains first in career points.[2]

Hart also excelled academically in high school scoring 1280 on the SAT and graduating in the top five of his class with a 94% average.[3]

College career

2007 team huddle with Mario Manningham (86), Ryan Mallett (15), Hart (20), Jake Long (77), Adrian Arrington (16), Mike Massey (83), Justin Boren (65), Carson Butler (85), and Stephen Schilling (52) against Penn State
2004 Michigan Wolverines football team #20 Hart, #7 Chad Henne, #15 Steve Breaston, #8 Jason Avant, #88 Tim Massaquoi
Ryan Mallett hands off to Hart
Hart on the Michigan sidelines behind Zoltan Mesko and Carlos Brown

In the 2004 season, Hart set a Michigan record for most rushing yards in a season by a freshman with 1,455. He rushed for nine touchdowns and had 26 receptions for 237 yards and a touchdown catch. For the 2005 season as a sophomore, Hart missed significant time due to a hamstring injury. He started eight of Michigan's 12 games and played sparingly in three of those. He finished the season with 662 yards and four touchdowns rushing and added 16 receptions for 154 yards and a touchdown catch.

During the 2006 season, Hart rushed for 1,562 yards – the fifth-best season total in Michigan history – and 14 touchdowns. He also caught 17 passes for 125 yards. For his efforts, Hart was recognized as his team's co-MVP with linebacker David Harris. He was also selected by both coaches and media to the All-Big Ten Conference First Team, named a finalist for the Doak Walker Award, and placed fifth in Heisman Trophy balloting.

As a senior in the 2007 season, Hart was elected team captain along with offensive tackle Jake Long and linebacker Shawn Crable. He entered the eighth week of the season as college football's leader in rushing yards, but after an ankle injury sidelined him for two games, he dropped in the rankings. Hart finished the season with 1,361 yards and 14 touchdowns. After his last game with Michigan State, Hart referred to Michigan's in-state rival as the teams "little brother", triggering an angry reaction from Michigan State's coach, Mark Dantonio. In his final game at Michigan Stadium, Hart was held to 44 yards on 18 carries in a 14–3 loss to Ohio State, completing an 0–4 career record for Hart against the Buckeyes.

In his career, Hart rushed 1,015 times for 5,040 yards; both marks are school records. His 41 career rushing touchdowns are third-best in Michigan annals. Hart's 28 career games with at least 100 yards rushing and 5 games with at least 200 yards rushing are each the most in Michigan history. Hart lost three fumbles in his college career, two of which came in his last game as a Wolverine in the 2008 Capital One Bowl. In that game, Hart also passed the 5,000 yard rushing mark for his career, becoming only the fourth player in Big Ten history to do so.

Awards and honors

Hart and family on Senior Day

National awards

Conference honors

Team awards

Statistics

Rushing Receiving
Season Team GP Att Yds Avg Lng TD Rec Yds Avg Lng TD
2004 Michigan 12 282 1,455 5.2 34 9 26 237 9.1 39 1
2005 Michigan 8 150 662 4.4 64 4 16 154 9.6 34 1
2006 Michigan 13 318 1,562 4.9 54 14 17 125 7.4 31 0
2007 Michigan 10 265 1,361 5.1 61 14 8 50 6.3 11 0
Career totals 43 1,015 5,040 5.0 64 41 67 566 8.4 39 2

[4]

Professional career

Indianapolis Colts

Hart was selected in the sixth round (202nd overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts.

Third on the Colts depth chart behind Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes, Hart saw little action during the 2008 season, rushing for nine yards on two carries.[5] During the second quarter of the Colts victory over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6, Hart sustained a knee injury on an 18-yard reception from Peyton Manning. On October 15, Hart was placed on injured reserve,[6] ending his season.

Hart missed the 2009 pre-season opener with an ankle injury. On September 5, Hart was cut by the Colts then was signed to the Colts practice squad on September 6.[7] On October 4, Hart was reassigned to the Colts active roster, replacing Chad Simpson.[8] On November 24, Hart was waived by the Colts. He was re-signed to the practice squad on November 25. Hart was promoted to the active roster on December 2. On December 6, Hart got his first touches of the 2009 season. He had 11 rushing yards and two receptions for 27 yards. He had 28 rushing yards on December 13.[9] On January 3, 2010 in the first quarter against the Buffalo Bills, Hart scored the first touchdown of his NFL career on a one-yard run on a hand-off from Peyton Manning.[10] On February 7, 2010, Hart had two carries in Super Bowl XLIV.[11]

During a 2010 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, Hart scored his second career touchdown. It was the only touchdown of the game, as the Colts won 19–9. On November 1, 2010, in a Monday night game against the Houston Texans, Hart rushed for an NFL career-best 84 yards on 12 carries. Hart was released by the Colts on July 26, 2011.[12]

Coaching career

In August 2011, Hart had accepted a job at Eastern Michigan University as the offensive quality control coach for the Eastern Michigan Eagles football team.[13] He served in that capacity for the 2011 season and then for two seasons, 2012 and 2013, as the team's running backs coach. On February 4, 2014, Hart was announced as the running backs coach at Western Michigan University.[14] On January 4, 2016 he was announced as the new running backs coach at Syracuse University.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "All-time career points and touchdowns leaders". ESPN Internet Ventures. December 6, 2011. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
  2. ↑ "All-time points and touchdowns leaders". ESPN HS. December 17, 2011. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
  3. ↑ Windsor, Shawn (August 30, 2007). "Years after sister's death, U-M tailback Hart carries on". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved November 3, 2009.
  4. ↑ "Michigan Football Statistic Archive Query Page". Regents of the University of Michigan. 2003. Retrieved December 6, 2007.
  5. ↑ "Mike Hart #32 RB (2008 game log)". ESPN. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
  6. ↑ Oehser, John (October 15, 2008). "Colts Place Hart on Injured Reserve, Acquire Two Running Backs". Colts.com. Retrieved November 3, 2009.
  7. ↑ "Training Camp Roundup: Sept. 5". ESPN Internet Ventures. September 5, 2009. Retrieved November 3, 2009.
  8. ↑ "Chad Simpson cut; Mike Hart re-added to Colts active roster". Sportsblogs, Inc. October 4, 2009. Retrieved November 3, 2009.
  9. ↑ "Mike Hart #32 RB (2009 game log)". ESPN. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
  10. ↑ "Indianapolis 7, Buffalo 30 (play-by-play)". ESPN. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
  11. ↑ "New Orleans 31, Indianapolis 17". ESPN. February 7, 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
  12. ↑ "Mike Hart, Michigan's all-time leading rusher, released by Indianapolis Colts". AnnArbor.com. July 26, 2011. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Mike Hart Joins the EMU Football Staff". Eastern Michigan University. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
  14. ↑ "Mike Hart Bio". Western Michigan University. Retrieved September 4, 2014.

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