Temple’s Carl Hardin finds common ground in kicking and construction engineering
The senior turned his walk-on opportunity into a scholarship after the 2024 season. His dedication to football carries to the classroom, but his journey on the field began with a simple passion.
Dante Atton has noticed a peculiar celebration from Temple senior kicker Carl Hardin.
After making a field goal, Hardin will take a small jump, almost an involuntary burst of excitement. It’s a subtle movement fans might miss, but one Atton, Temple’s punter, recognizes.
“That’s just Carl in a nutshell,” Atton said. “He just loves kicking it. He literally just loves it. Lives for it.”
That enthusiasm has carried Hardin from a walk-on to a scholarship player and Temple’s starting kicker. Along the way, the Raleigh, N.C., native has balanced football with studying construction engineering technology, two pursuits he believes share similarities.
Hardin arrived at Temple in 2023 out of Broughton High School with one college football opportunity: a walk-on spot with the Owls.
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He handled kickoffs as a freshman but didn’t appear in a game in 2024, spending the year behind Maddux Trujillo, who made a 64-yard field goal against Utah State, which is the longest field goal made at Lincoln Financial Field.
For Hardin, the lack of playing time didn’t change his approach.
“My mindset was just to keep improving, never be satisfied with the level I was at,” Hardin said. “And I think that mindset is what helped me get to the level where the coaches felt confident enough in me to put me on scholarship.”
His opportunity arrived unexpectedly after the 2024 season.
Hardin had finished a routine weightlifting session when he was summoned to special teams analyst John Fisher’s office. With Temple undergoing a coaching change, Hardin wasn’t sure what his future held.
Instead, he learned he was receiving a scholarship.
“That was an incredible moment,” Hardin said. “It was electric. Super happy moment.”
Fisher had vouched for Hardin to the incoming coaching staff, helping secure the scholarship despite Hardin not having played that season.
Trujillo also advocated for him.
When Trujillo arrived in 2024, he immediately recognized Hardin’s talent. He wondered why the Owls needed another kicker with Hardin already on the roster.
“What are you recruiting me for?” Trujillo recalled asking the previous special teams coordinator. “You guys have a full scholarship kicker that you could be using right now.”
Trujillo said he pushed for Hardin to receive a scholarship, believing the younger kicker could succeed. The two grew close, with Trujillo offering advice on technique, confidence, and leadership.
“This is going to be yours next year,” Trujillo recalled telling Hardin.
The challenge wasn’t physical ability, Trujillo believed, but developing confidence.
“He was already talented enough to do it,” Trujillo said. “It was really just kind of a couple of mental things and that was it, just confidence stuff.”
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Hardin became Temple’s primary placekicker in 2025, converting 11 of 14 field goals, including a career-long 52-yard field goal against Tulsa, and all 40 extra points.
He returned to the role this season, fulfilling the potential his teammates recognized. Hardin has made 12 of 16 attempts, with his season long being 49 yards.
“He always had the talent,” Atton said. “It was never a question of talent. He just needed the opportunity. When he got it, he took it.”
Atton sees that drive during practice, where Hardin’s willingness to keep kicking seems endless.
“He’ll kick till his leg falls off,” Atton said. “He’ll kick 100 balls from like 60 yards just to feel good about it.”
That dedication extends to the classroom.
His interest in construction engineering began with building things and a fascination with cities. His father’s work as a city planner in Raleigh helped introduce him to construction and urban design.
“I’ve always just liked building stuff and kind of working with a team to achieve like a bigger goal,” Hardin said. “So the idea of building buildings is kind of what got me to construction engineering.”
His academic performance earned him the Military Bowl STEM Scholar-Athlete Program honor, which is given through the American Conference.
Hardin has found balancing football and academics easier as his coursework becomes more specialized. He’s also discovered similarities between engineering and kicking, particularly their reliance on teamwork.
“Engineering, you’re always going to be part of a group that everyone has to execute their task for a successful result,” Hardin said. “And then same with kicking, like the snap has to be good, hold has to be good, I got to be good and the blocking has to be good.”
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Trujillo describes Hardin as analytical, while Atton believes his teammate knows when to separate that mindset from kicking.
“I think he does a good job in separating his mind from his kicking because I think as a specialist, you can’t be too in your head,” Atton said.
Beyond his attention to detail, Hardin has a distinctive personality.
“The most lovable, funny person in the world; cat person,” Trujillo said.
Atton agrees.
“He’s not even a person, just a cat,” Atton said.
Beneath the humor is a player whose teammates believed in him before he had a scholarship or starting job.
Hardin’s explanation of his journey is simpler.
“I’ve always just really enjoyed kicking,” Hardin said. “I think that’s what got me there, is just my love for the game.”
