Published: August 06, 2008 10:06 pm            

Room for one more: Mike Hart looks to keep Colts' Big Ten success going

TERRE HAUTE — Playing running back in the NFL is much more than winning a foot race.

Elusiveness and toughness translate into production as much as speed, and Mike Hart proved he possesses those traits while racking up a school-record 5,040 career yards during his Michigan career.

Hart paced the Indianapolis Colts with 53 yards on four carries in Sunday’s preseason opener at Canton, Ohio.

Hart and former Indiana standout receiver Courtney Roby are former Big Ten standouts vying for a spot on a team that already had a solid group of veterans who hail from the league. The Colts may have to find room for two more former Big Ten standouts.

“I don’t know if that’s coincidence or if the head coach has a little bias toward the best football league in the country, I’m not sure which is the case,” chuckled head coach Tony Dungy, a former standout Minnesota quarterback. “We’ve had good success with our Big Ten guys. We like them from anywhere.”

The 2007 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Bob Sanders played at Iowa, as did Dallas Clark. Ohio State holds the honor of most players from the Big Ten participating in camp at Rose-Hulman with three: wide receivers Anthony Gonzalez and Roy Hall and defensive back Antonio Smith.

In addition to Roby, former IU defensive end Ben Ishola is hoping to make the 53-man roster. Minnesota graduate Darrell Reid, and Penn State’s Ed Johnson found their roles with the team in recent seasons.

And Hart’s one-time Michigan teammate Marlin Jackson bring the Colts’ total to 11 players from the Big Ten.

While Hart’s Wolverines are arch rivals with Ohio State, those days are left in the past, he said after Wednesday morning’s

practice.

“I have no bragging rights in the lockerroom because I didn’t win in four years,” Hart said of the Wolverines recent struggles against the Buckeyes.

Plus — at the professional level — having Big Ten roots is like belonging to the same fraternity.

“We all like each other. We’re on the same team now. When you get to the NFL, it’s not about Ohio State vs. Michigan, it’s about Big Ten vs. SEC, vs. ACC vs. Pac-10, you know which conference is better. This team has a lot of Big Ten guys so that’s definitely a good thing,” Hart said.

Hart can especially identify with former Ohio State receiver Roy Hall, a fifth-round draft pick in 2007. Hart fell to the Colts this year in the sixth round.

“Sixth round was disappointing, but I’m glad I’m here. I’m glad it happened. Great team, great players, great coach, …couldn’t ask for anything better,” he said.

Hart was projected no earlier than the fourth round due to his relatively slow 4.7 time in the 40-yard dash and his 5-foot-9 206-pound frame.

“When you actually meet them, we’re actually a lot alike,” Hart said of his new Buckeye teammates. “You can tell they’re hard-working guys, came from great universities. It just shows that there’s a lot of great players in the Big Ten. Guys like Roy Hall can come in here and contribute.”

Moving up from a perennial national contender like Michigan or Ohio State to the Colts makes it even more fun for Hart.

“It makes it a lot easier to come into a winning team. I’m not coming into a team that was 3-13. When you win, it just makes everything easier,” said Hart, who also had three catches for 28 yards against the Redskins.

Behind Joseph Addai, backup Dominic Rhodes and veterans Kenton Keith and Clifton Dawson on the depth chart, Hart knows he still has work to do to earn touches when the regular season arrives.

“Short term is just to make the team. The main thing is to make that 53-man roster,” Hart said. “I have no clue what my role’s going to be at this point. Whatever it is, special teams, I want to do it to try to help out.”

Dungy is not surprised by his success. Dungy once coached another undersized running back who wasn’t expected to become a big-time back in the NFL: three-time Pro Bowl selection Warrick Dunn.

“Very, very similar,” Dungy said. “Some of my teammates that were in the Hall of Fame — Mike Webster was too short and not fast enough and just blocked everybody in high school and college and blocked people in the NFL. Guys that are super productive, they find a way to get the job done.”

Hart has succeeded wherever he’s played, winning three state titles during his high school career in upstate New York.

Another testament to his toughness, Hart had a stretch of four years and more than 700 carries without a fumble. He fumbled once during his freshman campaign, during which he led the Big Ten with 1,455 yards, and he fumbled twice during his last collegiate game in the Capital One Bowl against Florida.

Hart just plans to keep proving he belongs one carry at a time.

“Sky’s the limit,” Hart said. “End of their career, everyone knows where they want to be. My career goal is to be the best that I can, play as many years as I can and perform the best that I can.”

Dungy said that Hart’s success is in direct relation to his work ethic.

“Mike ran and did everything in the game just about as he’s done in practice and it really wasn’t surprising when you watch him practice and watch him work,” Dungy said. “We felt he would have a good game and he did everything that he was called on to do. He had two pass protection pickups, he handled those well. He caught the ball out of the backfield and he ran and made people miss. That’s probably what he’s been doing for eight or nine years.”

While Hart is hoping to make a new home for himself in Indianapolis, Roby hopes to return to the city in which he was an all-state selection for North Central High School.

Roby spent the 2005 and 2006 seasons with the Tennessee Titans after a standout career at IU as a wide receiver and kickoff returner.

“He’s got that experience. He’s done well on special teams,” Dungy said. “He understands what it takes to make the team, that you’ve got to be versatile, you’ve got to fill in in other places. He plays hard day in and day out, he’s doing just great so far.”

Like Hart, Roby is the type of team player Dungy expects could be a positive lockerroom presence.

“I know that it’s more fun being in your hometown. I think from Courtney’s standpoint, it’s just making the team, doing what he can to help us win,” Dungy said.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.