Why River Bluff football coach won’t be on the sidelines this season
Blair Hardin will get a different perspective on gamedays this season. It’s not by design.
The fifth-year River Bluff High School football coach will be watching from the press box as his team plays this season after rupturing his patella tendon last month in a church kickball game..
“I wish I had a better story to tell you, but I don’t,” Hardin said with a laugh Thursday when sharing how he suffered the injury.
Hardin had surgery a day after the injury. Full recovery will take a year, he said. He won’t be able to walk for at least the next two months, he said. When he can return to the sidelines isn’t clear just yet.
River Bluff opens the season at Lugoff-Elgin on Aug. 19.
Hardin just got cleared to do rehab twice a week. He must keep his leg elevated, which is tough —especially for sleeping — though he hasn’t done much of that since the injury.
“It is not a good injury. It is a long recovery,” Hardin said. “We will take it day by day. I will be in the training room with my players every day. But we will get through it.”
Thursday was the first test for Hardin to see what it’s like to not be on the sidelines. The Gators hosted a four-way scrimmage with Blythewood, Camden and Airport. Road games will be another challenge, as he won’t be able to ride with the team on the bus.
Assistant coaches Ryan Sharpe (offense) and James Reynolds (defense) acted as head coaches on the field Thursday.
Hardin was situated in the press box with his leg elevated on a chair and bottled water next to his play sheet. He was quite vocal throughout the night, lamenting when his team wasn’t lined up correctly or after a missed tackle.
After the scrimmage ended, Hardin slowly made his way to his walker and took the elevator down to the field. A utility vehicle picked him up and took him to talk to his players.
“It is different. … I don’t like not being around my team and coaches. That is what I miss the most,” Hardin said. “I got to talk to them at the end and coach them up top. It is an adjustment, but we will learn and keep going.
“We are fortunate to have great coaches, great people and communicators to our players. I have to rely on them for everything. They take me home. They pick me up. Fortunately we have great guys and I have a great support system with my wife, and we are going to get through it.”
River Bluff has another four-way scrimmage Monday at Greenwood with Byrnes and Seneca. The Gators will play in the Lexington Sportsarama on Aug. 12 before the season opener.
River Bluff is coming off a 2-8 season but returns 16 starters.
