The Florida Gators have dipped into Georgia's prospect pool yet again.
Atlanta (Ga.) Marist kicker Austin Hardin received an offer from UF Wednesday morning following an impressive performance at the Will Muschamp football camp this week.
Despite offers from Auburn, Buffalo and Tennessee and more surely to come, Hardin had seen all he needed to in Gainesville.
“I knew it was the right place,” said Hardin, who is ranked as the No. 2 kicker in the nation by ESPN.
“Athletically and academically, it's such a strong school and I really like that about it. It's such a great team and coaching staff and I'm just very excited.”
He gives the Gators 13 commitments for the class of 2012 and the fourth verbal from the state of Georgia.
Hardin holds a 3.85 GPA and said academics were one of the main reasons he chose UF.
“I'm very strong academically in my school, and that's something I didn't want to sacrifice (by) going to a big football school,” Hardin said. “Florida speaks for itself with what they've done on the field, but I wanted a school that could provide both and Florida has the best of both worlds.”
Florida also has early playing time available. Hardin said special teams coordinator D.J. Durkin told him he will handle kickoffs his freshman season and then take over field goal duties once UF redshirt junior kicker Caleb Sturgis graduates.
In 2008, Hardin pictured himself playing a different kind of football in college.
He spent his middle-school years in Bolivia because of his father's work and became an avid soccer player.
He was a member of the youth national team and won the award for the most goals scored in the South American league.
His family came back to the United States two weeks into his ninth-grade year and he decided to give American football a try.
“He just showed up on our doorstep one day,” said Marist head coach Alan Chadwick. “He came out for football and it was just obvious from the very first moment we saw him that he was a great kicker.”
In fact, Chadwick said he hasn't coached a kicker with Hardin's leg strength in 35 years at Marist (26 as head coach).
“He's potentially the best I've ever had because of the power of his leg,” Chadwick said.
Last season, he hit a 59-yard field goal to beat Southwest DeKalb, 17-14. After the game, the opposing coaches had some high praise for Hardin.
“They said, ‘Man he doesn't need to go to college,” Chadwick said, “he needs to go straight to the NFL.' ”
Hardin said his college recruitment began with that kick. But now that he's committed, the process is over.
“It's shutdown,” Hardin said. “I'm 100-percent Gator.”
