Simmons, Hardman vie for title of Fastest Dawg

JEFFERSON, Ga. – Tyler Simmons threw the gauntlet down to his future teammates at Georgia Saturday after asked who the fastest member of the Bulldogs would be this fall.

“That’s not even a hard question. I’ll say me,” smiled Simmons, who finished fourth in the Class AAAAAA 100 meter finals with a time of 10.6.

“It was my personal record, my personal best,” Simmons said. “But I’m not complaining. These guys that beat me, they run track all year long. I’m doing this to stay in shape for football, so I can’t complain much.”

The Class AAAAAAA 100 meter proved to be the most competitive of the afternoon as Mountain View’s Jalen Virgil (an Appalachian State football signee) won the event with a 10.40, followed by South Gwinnett’s Terell Smith with a 10.43, Roswell’s Tyson Spears with a 10.52 and Simmons in fourth.

“It (running track) keeps me going,” Simmons said. “When you’re not doing football it keeps your competitiveness up, keeps you in shape plus coming out here and running with these other fast guys in a lot of fun.”

Simmons’ time would have won the state title in Class A (public), Class AA, Class AAA and Class AAAAA. Eastside’s Eric Stokes (Class AAAA, 10.48) and Savannah Christian’s Demetris Robertson (Class A Private 10.51) had the only two other times faster than the incoming Bulldog freshman.

Fellow signee Mecole Hardman wasn’t too bad himself.

Hardman, who placed in the Class AAA long jump and triple jump on Thursday, missed winning the 100 meter title in his division by an eyelash, posting a time of 10.74, just off the winning time of 10.72 by Central Carrollton’s Terry Tyler at 10.72.

“I could tell I was right on him, but I knew he beat me,” Hardman said. “I was coming for him now.”

After Simmons’ comment, Hardman may be coming for him, too.

“Oh yeah, we’re definitely going to race,” Hardman said. “Somebody’s going to say they’re the fastest so we’ll have to settle it on the field.”

Simmons smiled that he won’t make TOO big of a deal.

“Nah,” he smiled. “But if it comes up, I’ll say something.”

Hardman likely won’t be the only one wanting to see if Simmons can back up his words.

“I think Reggie Davis is still right in there, Isaiah McKenzie …,” Hardman said. “I don’t know. It could be one of us, but there’s some other guys who are going to be coming too, so it’s hard to say.”

But eventually they will.

“Oh, we’ll do it on our own time,” Simmons said. “We’ll see.”

A friendly competition this summer on the UGA practice field won’t be the only time Hardman and Simmons see each other on the field.

On the contrary.

With Hardman scheduled to start out at corner, there will be plenty of opportunities to match up during position drills this summer and once fall camp begins in August.

“No doubt,” Hardman said. “We’ll get after it on the field. We’re going to be out there competing, but it’s going to be fun for sure.”

Considering Simmons and Hardman are considered close friends, there’s no doubt about that.

“He was happy that I got a ring for football and I’m happy for him,” Simmons said. “Mecole placed in the triple, the long and the doggone 100 meters. It was good to see all of us out here. We’re just ready to go get to Athens.”

Hardman agreed.

“Being from the same state, all the recruits have a good relationship with each other with the camps and stuff,” Hardman said. “We were all the time having fun with each other and now that we’re teammates that friendship will just continue to grow.”