Secret Superstar: Greg Hardy

[rayzor]

Bring on the Craken good article today in paper

http://www.charlotte...otorcycles.html

actually is a great read....

Nearly a year after a motorcycle wreck sidetracked his preparations for the 2011 season and left him with abrasions on the left side of his body, Hardy looks to be in the best shape of his life. The 6-foot-4 Hardy weighs 299 pounds – up from his playing weight of 280 last year – and has 14 percent body fat.

“Last year I couldn’t work at all. So I felt like I had to come out and kill it,” Hardy said Thursday after the Panthers’ final minicamp practice.

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Panthers coach Ron Rivera named Hardy a starter without ever seeing him play, and Hardy returned to practice about two weeks before the season opener at Arizona. Hardy, a sixth-round pick in 2010 out of Ole Miss, said he felt out of sorts after getting back on the field.

“That whole month off, it just threw you off,” Hardy said. “You come back and put pads on (before) the first game. Practice for one week and have to play the Cardinals. It’s rough.”

Yet, Hardy played well against the Cardinals with five tackles, a sack and two quarterback pressures. He had three sacks in the first five games and appeared headed for a huge year.

But Hardy managed only one sack the rest of the season as he faced more double teams and often had a tight end lined up across from him.

“I had some instances because I was playing over the tight end all year, where I had a little bit of trouble,” Hardy said. “For the most part I had good technique. But I felt like if I got my weight up, I would take my game to the next level.”

Hardy added more protein to his diet, and made the weight room his winter home.

“He’s always been big. Now he’s bigger,” Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said. “And the weight he’s gained is good weight.”

While there was a lot of talk outside of the Panthers’ offices calling for the team to draft or sign a pass rusher this offseason, Hurney and Rivera see Hardy as a disruptive force.

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The Panthers hope Hardy, with his redistributed weight, can be more effective this season and take some of the pressure off defensive end Charles Johnson, the team leader with nine sacks in 2011.

“He’s put on some weight and kept the same quickness. He shows the desire. He’s done everything to show you that he wants to be very, very good,” Hurney said. “He’s improved. I think the offseason’s helped him a lot. … He’s just got a special knack as far as rushing the passer.”

Rivera talked excitedly about Hardy on Thursday, starting in with praise for him before a reporter could finish a question.

“He’s put a lot of muscle on. He’s only got 14 percent body fat. So we’re pretty excited about what he’s done this offseason. He’s had a great one,” Rivera said. “Last year he had the accident before camp. Him spending the entire offseason here was tremendous. And I’m real excited about what he can become as a football player.”

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/06/14/3318362/panthers-hardy-done-with-motorcycles.html#storylink=cpy

but some of our experts in here say he didn't go up to 300ish...that it will hurt him if he did...that he won't maintain it...that he doesn't want to be that weight...that the coaches don't want him there...yada yada yada.

[Doyle]

I mentioned in another thread a while back that Hardy often had a gassed look to him during games last year. Whether it was hands on the hips or even his body language when he'd come off the field he just looked a little out of breath, moreso than most guys do when they take a breather. This isn't to turn this into an argument over his weight or his stamina or anything, just an observation.

However, this could be one of the reasons that the FO took Kuechly instead of a guy like Coples. They may have decided Hardy can be a dominant beast, but only when his tank isn't on empty obviously. Also coincides with what some guys said about Rivera not wanting Hardy to play too heavy last year. Time will tell but I'd rather have a fresh Greg Hardy for 70% of snaps than a tired one for 90%.

Adding extra weight will not help him if he has issues with getting gassed. People see someone bulk up in the NFL and think its a good thing but most of the time it isn't.

[bleys]

Adding extra weight will not help him if he has issues with getting gassed. People see someone bulk up in the NFL and think its a good thing but most of the time it isn't.

if it is true, there's no way he stays 300 halfway through the season...

edit: then again... maybe he can..

“He’s always been big. Now he’s bigger,” Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said. “And the weight he’s gained is good weight.”

Read more here: http://www.charlotte...l#storylink=cpy

“He’s put on some weight and kept the same quickness. He shows the desire. He’s done everything to show you that he wants to be very, very good,” Hurney said. “He’s improved. I think the offseason’s helped him a lot. … He’s just got a special knack as far as rushing the passer.”

Rivera talked excitedly about Hardy on Thursday, starting in with praise for him before a reporter could finish a question.

“He’s put a lot of muscle on. He’s only got 14 percent body fat. So we’re pretty excited about what he’s done this offseason. He’s had a great one,” Rivera said. “Last year he had the accident before camp. Him spending the entire offseason here was tremendous. And I’m real excited about what he can become as a football player.”

Read more here: http://www.charlotte...l#storylink=cpy

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Hardy will break out this year, with pressure coming from Alexander, Applewhite, and Keiser I expect Greg to play like he did in the first four games of last season throughout the entire season this year. He also has that added extra weight so he can now add some more moves (bull rush) to his already pretty good arsenal of moves. I think Hardy really turns it on this year.

Prediction: 8 to 10 sacks, 60 to 70 tackles, 2-3 forced fumbles, and maybe 1 interception. Also don't forget, Hardy averages 1 safety per year so hopefully he can add another one this year.

[rayzor]

i expect that the bookends of johnson and hardy will be brutal this year.

now if we could only get our DTs to occupy 3-4 blockers we'd be set.

[SIGCHI222]

Hardy will break out this year, with pressure coming from Alexander, Applewhite, and Keiser I expect Greg to play like he did in the first four games of last season throughout the entire season this year. He also has that added extra weight so he can now add some more moves (bull rush) to his already pretty good arsenal of moves. I think Hardy really turns it on this year.

Prediction: 8 to 10 sacks, 60 to 70 tackles, 2-3 forced fumbles, and maybe 1 interception. Also don't forget, Hardy averages 1 safety per year so hopefully he can add another one this year.

Don't forget the batted balls. He seems to have a knack for that.

[JawnyBlaze]

i expect that the bookends of johnson and hardy will be brutal this year.

now if we could only get our DTs to occupy 3-4 blockers we'd be set.

I'd be happy if they could just occupy 2, it'd be an improvement.

[Black]

[The Huddler]

i remember when rivera said Hardy was doing well at the beginning of the season but was not doing exactly what rivera wanted him to do in the "System".

notice when hardy started to drop off statically our defense started to become a little better. since our DT situation was terrible, hardy had to do some extra thins that he wouldnt normally have to do. rivera had to work with what he had and he used hardy for his scmeme rather that use hardy like a typical DE. (probably pinching, crashing to help condense or clog up the middle. the guy is a beast and he could bull people and make a pile)

this year our DT situation will most likely be better, and hardy will do what he started to do in thee 2011 season bedfore rivera finally convinced him to work scematically.

im tellin ya fellas. IM RIGHT lol

[pantherclaw]

actually is a great read....

but some of our experts in here say he didn't go up to 300ish...that it will hurt him if he did...that he won't maintain it...that he doesn't want to be that weight...that the coaches don't want him there...yada yada yada.

talking out of one's ass is quite common. Lol

[Jackofalltrades]

talking out of one's ass is quite common. Lol

It seems to be a membership requirement around here these days.

[BuckNaked]

I hope he has the success he deserves. I met him in the middle of the lockout last year at boardwalk billy's. He is completely down to earth and genuine guy. The bar was packed and I was the only one in the whole place who recognized him so maybee that helped but he signed my Panthers hoodie and talked to me for a good while. He did have some fine ladies with him but dude really just as cool he could be. I would love for him to pan out because a down to earth superstar along with the other amazing athletes on this team could really take us to the top of the food chain.

[ladypanther]

No offseason last year, he had little training camp/bike wreck.....Sounds like he has been working hard, adding 20 lbs of muscle. This could be a big year for him.

[philw5289]

i just hope he's weighing 299 like he says