2025 Countdown to Kickoff: #21 Rolijah Hardy
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 225 pounds
Hometown: Lakeland, Florida (Naval Academy Preparatory School)
Class/Position:Sophomore / Linebacker
The spot next to Aiden Fisher is wide open, and Rolijah Hardy could be a guy that steps in and has a breakout season for Indiana.
Jailin Walker in many ways was the perfect complement to Fisher at LB, but he’s off the NFL and IU has a big hole at linebacker in its defense. Isaiah Jones played meaningful snaps, as did Hardy, and we’ll have to see how the snap count plays out early in the year for IU as they’ll both be counted on to be major contributors this season.
Originally thought of as a depth add by IU late in Coach Cig’s first offseason, Hardy has burst onto the scene as a guy that has already produced and clearly has tons of untapped potential. He’s physical, fast, and now has the experience needed for Bryant Haines and Curt Cignetti to thrust him into a more meaningful role in 2025.
It’s hard to describe, but Hardy has that innate x-factor of the ball just “finding him”. Marcus Oliver was the prime example of this in past seasons, where he was a guy that didn’t jump off the screen at you, but was always in the exact right place and seemed to have magnets on his gloves that attracted the football.
Hardy played a lot last year, has been talked about by the staff all offseason, and made plays in the spring game and so far in fall camp. He has all the makings of a guy that will really establish himself as a big-time player this season, which would be a massive win for talent evaluation and development for the program, as well as a testament to Hardy’s skillset and work ethic.
Last season, per IUHoosiers.com, “He appeared in all 13 games with four starts … Made collegiate debut in the season opener versus FIU (8/31) … Made first collegiate start against Nebraska (10/19) … One of 12 true freshman to debut in 2024 … One of six Hoosiers to make first collegiate start in 2024 … Returned first career interception for a touchdown and is first true freshman with an interception return for the touchdown since Jameel Cook Jr. versus FIU in 2015 … Forced a pair of turnovers against Western Illinois (FF, INT; 9/6) and is the first IU defender with two turnovers forced since 2022.”
Again, Hardy has the skillset to be a big-time player and has already shown flashes of a guy that could develop into an all-conference type of player. Jailin Walker leaves a massive hole behind, and it will be fascinating to see if Hardy is the guy that steps into the starting role next to Aiden Fisher to build off of IU’s dominant season on defense just a year ago. Let’s go, Ro’!