Hardesty talks about commitment

Athlete/running back Montario Hardesty took an official visit to Tennesssee over the weekend but the Vols weren't able to sway him. He decided to stay in state to play for John Bunting's program in Chapel Hill.

"I had a good feeling going into the visit this weekend that North Carolina was the right place for me," said the New Bern, N.C. prospect. "I decided to tell the UNC coaches that I wanted to be a Tar Heel. I have a good relationship with Coach Powell, the running backs' coach, and they have a couple of running backs leaving. I feel like I can go in, compete and get on the field early. I just have a really good feeling about UNC."

The 6-foot-0, 190-pound versatile athlete had narrowed things down to North Carolina and Tennessee before his visit to Knoxville. There had been some rumors that Tennessee pulled his offer late in the process. Is that true?

"Just to clear everything up, Tennessee's coaches never pulled my offer. They got pretty mad I think when they found out I was going to commit to UNC, and they tried to call me like 20 times. But they never pulled the offer and were in it right there until the end. I just feel more comfortable with the coaches and the situation at UNC. I enjoyed the Tennessee visit, but I had a great time at North Carolina."

Hardesty is a four-star prospect and ranked the No. 8 overall prospect in the state of North Carolina.