If there’s anyone on South Carolina’s offensive staff who knows what good running back play looks like, it’s Montario Hardesty.

The former second round pick rushed for almost 2,400 yards and 26 touchdowns at Tennessee and now will be looking to coach the next great SEC back.

Hardesty recently took a job as the Gamecocks’ running backs coach under Shane Beamer and is ready to work with his current group while hitting the recruiting trail hard.

“Well first and foremost I think the biggest thing is to recruit my guys back and make sure my guys know I’m here to help them and build that trust and build relationships with the guys here,” Hardesty said. “I think we have talented guys on the roster.”

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Hardesty was one of the best backs in the SEC, especially in 2009, where he rushed for 1,345 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior.

After an injury shortened his NFL career he jumped head first into coaching and seven years later finds himself back in the SEC at South Carolina.

Described as a rising star in the coaching industry by Beamer, Hardesty is tasked with coaching maybe the best returning duo in the league with Kevin Harris and Marshawn Lloyd.

He’s also going to be in charge of recruiting running backs to South Carolina and he already wants to see in players when trying to get them to Columbia.

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“In recruiting I’m always looking for guys who can make someone miss in a phone booth,” Hardesty said. “They have to have really good change of direction in a small area. I’m always looking for that burst. I want to see guys who run with balance and run behind their pads and are able to use weapons and finish.”

One of the biggest things for Hardesty is a running back’s ability to finish on runs; with explosive plays so important now in college football, Hardesty knows how vital a home run hitting back can be.

He has at least one of those on the roster—Kevin Harris led the league with 11 rushes of at least 20 yards—and is looking for more of that on the trail.

“At the end of the day, I’m watching high school guys on tape and watching their change of direction, I’m watching them move defenders and I’m watching his burst,” Hardesty said. “But now, it’s you, the safety and the backside corner coming. Are you going to finish that play? Are you going to do whatever it takes to get that home run hit?”

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There are other physical traits Hardesty tries to find—physicality in the blocking game being one—but he wants high character players who will work hard as well.

“In pass protection, I want a guy that’s willing to do it but I can teach those things once you get around me. Other than that, I’m looking for your character off the field,” he said. “I’m going to ask and dig and see about your leadership and see about your character and how competitive you are. Those are the things I want to bring: guys who are competitive, guys that are smart and the things on the football field."