Tennessee will open its 2024 campaign against Chattanooga at Neyland Stadium on Aug. 31.

In anticipation of the season opener, VolReport is highlighting a former Vols player whose jersey number matches the amount of days until kickoff.

TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM

With 87 days to go, Tennessee linebacker Darryl Hardy, who was an All-SEC selection on the Vols' defense in the early 1990s, is selected.

Hardy was an all-state offensive lineman at Princeton Heights High School in Ohio before signing with Tennessee as a linebacker in 1988.

He totaled 318 career tackles with the Vols, including 227 solo tackles along with 14 tackles for loss. One of Hardy's most dominating defensive performances came against Alabama in 1989 when he recorded 18 solo tackles, which ranks fourth all-time in program history.

Though Hardy was an All-SEC Defensive Team Player in 1991, arguably his most memorably contribution that season came on special teams against Notre Dame.

With the Fighting Irish leading 31-7 late in the first half, Hardy blocked a Craig Hentrich field goal that was picked up by Floyd Miley and returned it 85 yards for a touchdown to trim Tennessee's deficit at halftime.

It proved to be a turning point, as the Vols rallied to beat Notre Dame, 35-34 in what became known as the "Miracle in South Bend."

Hardy was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the 10th round of the 1992 NFL Draft. He played one year in the Canadian Football League before returning to the NFL where he had three different stints with the Dallas Cowboys, including on their Super Bowl XXX team in 1995.

Hardy also played for the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks before retiring from football in 1998. His son, Jaydan, is a freshman defensive back at Oklahoma.

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