#70 Drew Gardner Season 2007-08

2007
Saw limited action in relief of offensive guard starter Merritt Kirchoffer… Played in nine games, seeing action in all but Richmond, Alabama and Georgia encounters… Also contributed along the line on placekicking alignments.

2006
Saw limited action as redshirt freshman, playing in three games at offensive guard… First collegiate action came in win over Tennessee State… Also earned playing time against South Carolina and Tennessee.

2005
Redshirted as freshman… Worked as offensive tackle during fall drills.

High School
Team captain as senior… Three-year varsity starter at left tackle… Started football as ninth grader when family relocated to Hoxie… As senior, earned 93 percent blocking grade while posting 65 knockdown blocks for 9-3 squad that advanced to second round of playoffs… Two-time 2AAA All-State… Selected to Jonesboro Sun[apos]s ‘Best Under the Sun’ Squad and two-time member of KAIT TV-8 Super Team… Two-year all-conference recipient… Selected to play in Arkansas East-West High School All-Star Game in June… A three-year starter and all-district center for Hoxie basketball squad… Also pitches and plays first base for baseball team.

Personal
Andrew Crillon Gardner… Son of Tim and Paula Gardner… Has an older brother, Kyle… Dad is principal at Hoxie HS, mom is a nurse… Dad played college basketball… Plans to major in education… An honors student, named as Hoxie[apos]s representative for Wendy[apos]s High School Heisman Trophy.

Hoxie Head Coach Tom Sears
‘Drew[apos]s potential is unlimited. He[apos]s only 17 and could be a junior. If I had Drew back next year, he[apos]d be awesome. He is a big-time, diamond-in-the-rough prospect that the Vanderbilt coaches are really going to enjoy.
‘He[apos]s just an outstanding young man, a guy that is really coachable and wants to do well. I[apos]ve got a little boy of my own and I[apos]d love my son to be just like him.’