Jim Harbaugh’s new approach brings back Chargers legend Nick Hardwick to coach
LA TimesNick Hardwick spent his entire career with the Chargers and now is their assistant coach for the offensive line. “I was getting four hours of sleep a night,” he recalled Monday, “and I was like, ‘Well, if I’m doing this for free and actually donating money, why would I not do this at another level, one that I’m more familiar with?’ ” That’s part of what led Hardwick back home, to the Chargers, the former Pro Bowl center now an offensive line assistant. “To have a coach say that offensive linemen are weapons and they’re valued,” Hardwick said, “that’s pretty awesome.” Under Harbaugh, the Chargers will be playing offense closer to the ground. If we’re both good, it’ll look great, beautiful.” With all the ground-game talk, it’s easy to understand why Hardwick called this opportunity “pretty spectacular.” He said former Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt told him late in his career that if he ever wanted to coach to just call. “And here I am.” Chargers Chargers draft pick Joe Alt following in his father’s NFL footsteps Joe Alt, the Chargers’ first pick in the NFL draft, comes from a family of athletes.