As Shane Beamer looks to round out his coaching staff, the new South Carolina coach has reportedly zeroed in on a former Tennessee running back as his next running backs coach.

South Carolina is expected to tab Charlotte wide receivers coach and former Tennessee Vols/NFL running back Montario Hardesty as its new running backs coach, per sources, Wes Mitchell of Gamecock Central reported. Beamer is trying to replace Des Kitchings, who left the Gamecocks for a similar position with the Atlanta Falcons.

Hardesty, who played in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns, was hired at Charlotte before the 2019 season after he spent the 2018 season as an offensive quality control coach at Tennessee. Following his playing days, his coaching career included recent stints at Norfolk State, Florida Atlantic and Tennessee.

As a player at Tennessee, Hardesty rushed for 2,391 yards in his career, including 1,345 as a senior in 2009. He scored 27 touchdowns in his career. He was a second-round NFL draft pick by the Browns in 2010 and compiled 537 rushing yards in two playing seasons, with one touchdown and 138 receiving yards.

In 2017, Hardesty was an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Florida Atlantic for his former college coach, Lane Kiffin. He spent two years as running backs coach and special teams coordinator at Norfolk State (2015, 2016), according to his Charlotte bio.