Eastern Michigan Athletics
Photo by: EMU Athletics/Randy Mascharka
Mike Hart Named EMU Assistant Football Coach
2/27/2012 3:36:00 PM | Football, E-Gridiron Group
Former Michigan standout promoted to full-time assistant coach
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Mike Hart, the University of Michigan football program's all-time leading rusher, has been promoted to an assistant football coaching position at Eastern Michigan University, Head Coach Ron English announced today, Feb. 27. He will serve as the team's running backs coach and recruit southeastern Michigan after spending the 2011 campaign as the squad's offensive quality control assistant.
In helping the Green and White offense last season, Eastern Michigan rushed for 2,620 yards and 16 touchdowns on 575 carries for the 14th-best ground attack in the nation. The total was the second most in program history, trailing only the 1987 team that captured the Mid-American Conference title by running the ball 610 times for a total of 2,701 yards.
Prior to coming to EMU, the 25-year-old Hart spent three seasons in the National Football League (NFL) on the roster of the Indianapolis Colts. A sixth-round draft choice in 2008, Hart carried the ball a total of 71 times in 21 games through three injury-plagued seasons as a Colt. He gained 185 yards in seven games during the 2010 season.
Prior to the NFL, Hart set school records for carries (1,015) and rushing yards (5,040) at Michigan between 2004-07. A four-year starter for the Wolverines, Hart's 41 career touchdowns rank third in U-M history. Additionally, he ranks fourth all-time in the Big Ten Conference in career rushes and yards gained, while ranking 11th in touchdowns.
A 2006 and 2007 Doak Walker Award finalist, Hart finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting in 2006. He broke on to the national scene in 2004, setting school freshman rushing records with 282 carries for 1,455 yards and nine touchdowns. The totals ranked as the second highest single-season rushing total by a freshman in Big Ten history. He became just the third "true" freshman in conference history to lead the league in rushing, joining Ron Dayne (Wisconsin, 1996) and Darrel Thompson (Minnesota, 1986).
A native of Syracuse, N.Y., Hart graduated from Onondaga Central High School in 2004. While playing for the Tigers, he set the national career record for rushing touchdowns (204) and finished second in career rushing yards (11,045). Onondaga Central went 46–1 and won three state championships during Hart's career.
The Mike Hart File
Name: Leon Michael Hart
Born: April 9, 1986 • Syracuse, N.Y.
High School: Onondaga Central H.S. - Graduated in 2004
College: University of Michigan - Bachelor's degree in liberal arts - 2008
Family: Wife: Monique Son: Cameron
Football Coaching/Playing Experience
Year School Position
2011 Eastern Michigan University Quality Control Assistant - Offense
2008-10 Indianapolis Colts Player
2004-07 University of Michigan Student-Athlete
In helping the Green and White offense last season, Eastern Michigan rushed for 2,620 yards and 16 touchdowns on 575 carries for the 14th-best ground attack in the nation. The total was the second most in program history, trailing only the 1987 team that captured the Mid-American Conference title by running the ball 610 times for a total of 2,701 yards.
Prior to coming to EMU, the 25-year-old Hart spent three seasons in the National Football League (NFL) on the roster of the Indianapolis Colts. A sixth-round draft choice in 2008, Hart carried the ball a total of 71 times in 21 games through three injury-plagued seasons as a Colt. He gained 185 yards in seven games during the 2010 season.
Prior to the NFL, Hart set school records for carries (1,015) and rushing yards (5,040) at Michigan between 2004-07. A four-year starter for the Wolverines, Hart's 41 career touchdowns rank third in U-M history. Additionally, he ranks fourth all-time in the Big Ten Conference in career rushes and yards gained, while ranking 11th in touchdowns.
A 2006 and 2007 Doak Walker Award finalist, Hart finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting in 2006. He broke on to the national scene in 2004, setting school freshman rushing records with 282 carries for 1,455 yards and nine touchdowns. The totals ranked as the second highest single-season rushing total by a freshman in Big Ten history. He became just the third "true" freshman in conference history to lead the league in rushing, joining Ron Dayne (Wisconsin, 1996) and Darrel Thompson (Minnesota, 1986).
A native of Syracuse, N.Y., Hart graduated from Onondaga Central High School in 2004. While playing for the Tigers, he set the national career record for rushing touchdowns (204) and finished second in career rushing yards (11,045). Onondaga Central went 46–1 and won three state championships during Hart's career.
The Mike Hart File
Name: Leon Michael Hart
Born: April 9, 1986 • Syracuse, N.Y.
High School: Onondaga Central H.S. - Graduated in 2004
College: University of Michigan - Bachelor's degree in liberal arts - 2008
Family: Wife: Monique Son: Cameron
Football Coaching/Playing Experience
Year School Position
2011 Eastern Michigan University Quality Control Assistant - Offense
2008-10 Indianapolis Colts Player
2004-07 University of Michigan Student-Athlete
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