Tennessee's Montario Hardesty (2) outruns Georgia's Bacarri Rambo (18) during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009 in Knoxville, Tenn. Tennessee won 45-19. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)KNOXVILLE - Former Tennessee running back Montario Hardesty, most recently an off-the-field assistant on the Volunteers' coaching staff, has left to take the position of running backs coach for former Tennessee offensive coordinator Tyson Helton at Western Kentucky.
Helton left last week to become head coach of the Hilltoppers.
Hardesty spent last season as a quality control analyst for the Vols, working mainly with receivers as well as in recruiting. Prior to that he was the running backs coach at Florida Atlantic under former Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin.
He also had a stint as running backs coach at Football Championship Subdivision member Norfolk State.
Hardesty finished his college playing career with 2,391 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns, while adding 405 yards and another score on 38 pass receptions. In the 2009 season he had 1,345 rushing yards and 14 total touchdowns. He was selected in the second round of the NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns after his senior year.
His rushing total is ninth-most in Vols history.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3.