From the IU Media Relations Department:
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana junior wide receiver James Hardy has been named one of 12 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award, presented annually to the nation's outstanding receiver. The Biletnikoff Award is named for College and Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver Fred Biletnikoff and is presented by the Tallahassee (Fla.) Quarterback Club Foundation, Inc.
Indiana's all-time receiving TDs leader has 881 yards (sixth IU single season), 57 receptions (fourth), 15.5 yards per reception and 13 touchdowns (tied for first) this season. Hardy is second nationally and leads all Big Ten wideouts with his 13 scores and is on the brink of becoming the Hoosiers' all-time leader in receptions and receiving yardage, sitting one reception and 28 yards behind Courtney Roby in both categories.
The Fort Wayne, Ind., native is the only receiver in Indiana history to surpass 2,000 career yards (2,496 \0xAD second all-time), 150 career receptions (169 \0xAD second all-time) and 30 career touchdowns (33 \0xAD first all-time). On the season, he sits third in the Big Ten averaging 88.1 yards per game (22nd nationally), is sixth with 5.70 receptions per game and is ninth in scoring (7.8).
Four of the semifinalists reside in the Big Ten, as Purdue's Dorien Bryant, Michigan's Mario Manningham and Ohio State's Brian Robiskie join Hardy. Three finalists will be selected in November and the winner will be announced on the ESPN College Awards Show on Dec. 6.
So do you guys think Hardy will be back next year? After garnering the attention he has, and putting up career numbers, it's a very likely scenario that the wideout will not be in a Hoosier uniform in the fall of 2008. Also, is Hardy worthy of this award? He has been putting up career numbers but there has been a lot of talk about the room he has for improvement. We'd like to hear what you guys have to say. Thanks for reading.
