In discussing the attributes Scott Harding adds to the Hawaii receiver corps, Warriors head coach Norm Chow noted the sophomore’s maturity and understanding of the game. At 25, Harding does have a few years on most of his teammates.
As for his grasp of the Warriors’ offense, that’s a testament to Harding’s aptitude for catching on quickly, considering he first put on a set of football pads last summer upon arriving from Australia.
"One thing I pride myself on is knowing how to learn quickly," Harding said, "really listening and learning as fast as I can and taking on board what the coaches say.
Scott Harding:
Played Australian
rules football
professionally
"If I make a mistake once, I’ll try not to do it again, that’s helped a lot learning this whole new game."
That knack, along with his steady hands and quick feet, has Harding in contention for a far more prominent role in the offense this year after contributing primarily as UH’s punt returner last season.
"He has a good feel for it, a good understanding of the concepts," Chow said. "We have three receiver positions and we’ve already played him in two different ones and he’s done a great job."
Harding, who played six years in the Australian Football League prior to enrolling at UH, has worked at slot receiver and wideout this spring and likened his experience in American football so far to "playing a video game for the first time, but I’m in it." And unlike last year, he has the spring and a full summer to get deeper into the game’s intricacies.
Where the run-and-shoot emphasized the receivers reading the defense and adjusting their routes at the line of scrimmage, the pro-style offense being implemented this spring requires mastering a thicker playbook.
"The basic skill of catching and all that kind of stuff is obviously still the same, but there aren’t as many live reads as we used to do last year," he said, "but there’s a lot more plays."
Harding arrived on campus last July just before the start of fall camp, and his ease in securing the ball in traffic earned him a job as the Warriors’ punt returner. He averaged 7.42 yards on 19 attempts, good for 35th in the FBS and third in the Western Athletic Conference.
"All you need to do is learn when you need to fair catch and if not, just catch it and run," Harding said of his early introduction to game action. "I was comfortable doing that last year and hopefully I get another go at doing that again this year."
Taking a place in the starting group of receivers is also high on his current goal list, and his experience playing for the Brisbane Lions and the Port Adelade Power has some value in picking up a new offense this spring after catching six passes last season.
Since Australian rules football is considered a different sport, Harding’s participation in the league doesn’t jeopardize his college eligibility in the U.S.
"Playing professional ball back home, it’s a lot different, but at the same time you’re learning new concepts all the time about different plays and different opposition and all the little nuances of the game," Harding said. "I guess I’m used to learning and learning quickly."
He’s also acclimated to the campus environment in Manoa, yet another adjustment after living as a pro the previous six years.
"I’m loving the college life," said Harding, a business major. "I’m obviously not a ‘true’ freshman, like living in the dorms and going to all the parties and whatnot. But (the Warriors have) welcomed me into the family and I believe I can bring some experience to the group, even though I’m a freshman."
