Knee injury ends Fresno State wideout’s season – but he still has vital role with team
Fresno State senior wideout Delvon Hardaway is out for the season after suffering a knee injury in practice last week.
It’s the same knee he hurt in spring practice prior to his sophomore season, when he required surgery that kept him off the football field until the fourth game of the year.
Now he could be looking at the end of his career, barring a waiver from the NCAA for a sixth year of eligibility.
“It’s unfortunate,” coach Jeff Tedford said. “He came down after he caught a ball and landed the wrong way and it went out.”
Even on the first day after he did it and we found out it was what it was, he was in there encouraging people. He’s still a part of it and he can be a part of it that way.
Fresno State coach Jeff Tedford on senior receiver Delvon Hardaway
Hardaway still will have an impact: “He’ll have a leadership role,” Tedford said. “He’s really good at that. He will provide some leadership and some mentorship to some of the younger guys and, really, everyone. Even on the first day after he did it and we found out it was what it was, he was in there encouraging people. He’s still a part of it and he can be a part of it that way, being a mentor and being someone who can inspire other people.”
Hardaway was among many receiver prospects for the Bulldogs. This fall, Jamire Jordan, KeeSean Johnson, Da’Mari Scott and others in the group have been getting reps at different positions, helping improve depth.
What the Bulldogs are looking for is a consistent threat. The past two seasons, the Bulldogs have had only three receivers catch a touchdown pass in consecutive games.
Johnson had touchdown receptions last season against Sacramento State and Toledo and in 2015 against San Jose State and San Diego State. Jordan had back-to-back scores last season against Toledo and Tulsa and in 2015 against Utah and San Jose State. Josiah Blandin had TD catches in three games in a row to start the 2015 season and then in back-to-back games later that season.
Hardaway caught touchdown passes in back-to-back games against No. 21 Nebraska and Southern Utah as a redshirt freshman in 2014 when he started seven games, his best year in the program.
Robert Kuwada: @rkuwada
This story was originally published August 8, 2017 at 7:50 PM with the headline "Knee injury ends Fresno State wideout’s season – but he still has vital role with team."