Michigan’s Mike Hart continues to impact football decades after rushing records
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (BVM) — Close to two decades since his playing days, Mike Hart’s impact on high school football in New York can still be felt. The former Onondaga star’s high school career has continued to be the pinnacle for players chasing his rushing records, as Hart still sits atop the state’s record books.
Currently working at the University of Michigan as the team’s running backs coach, Hart has a new set of challenges he’s aiming for in his return to his alma mater. The newest running backs coach has already set the tone for his position group, with the Wolverines leaning heavily on the running game throughout their perfect 6-0 start.
“I’m just going to work,” Hart explained of what he hopes to bring to the program as a coach before the season. “I tell people all the time, the way I coach is the way I play. I like winning, I don’t like losing. So, when I’m a player I want to win. When I do anything I want to win. When I play video games with my son, I want to win. And I’m going to do everything I can to win.”
Before heading off to play at Michigan back in 2004, Hart enjoyed a record–breaking high school career, as the running back set national records for rushing touchdowns. His career rushing yards of 11,045 and two individual seasons rushing for 3,489 and 3,341 yards still top the state’s all-time career and single season records and place him second all-time in career rushing yards nationally.
Hart continued his play at the next level, recording more than 5,000 career rushing yards as he garnered national attention with a fifth place finish for the Heisman Trophy. His 117.2 rushing yards per game still top the program’s history. Hart would continue his play at the next level after a brief stint in the NFL.
Once his playing career came to an end, Hart would make the rounds as a coach beginning with stops at Eastern and Western Michigan before a season as the running backs coach at Syracuse.
Hart’s rise in the coaching ranks would continue when he started a new position at Indiana as the running backs and associate head coach. The former Central New York star was an integral part in recruiting star running back and Syracuse native Stevie Scott III, who had helped the Hoosiers to the No. 12 spot in AP rankings during the 2020 season.
Hart’s success with the Wolverines program comes after a rough patch in recent years for Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh. So far throughout his first season, Hart and the offense have left an early impact on the program, with the rushing attack ranking top-10 nationally.
“Coach Hart has been phenomenal ever since he stepped in this building,” Michigan running back Blake Corum said. “He helps me with everything. In practice I’ll be like, ‘Hey Coach, what would you have done right here?’ And he’s always giving me good advice on what he sees and [I] just take his advice.”
As Hart aims to bring his alma mater back to the top, the former star running back can still take pride in his old accomplishments remaining intact.
