Head coach of the Georgia State Panthers football team Trent Miles announced Tuesday that Donovan Harden from Illinois State has transfered to Georgia State and will be joining the team.
The junior wide-receiver will be unavailable for the 2013 season in accordance with NCAA rules. His eligibility will begin with the 2014 season.
“He’s a good inside receiver with really good hands and excellent quickness,” Miles told Georgia State Athletics. “He is a young man with experience playing Division I football, and we are glad to have him.”
Harden started eight game and played in 13 games total with the Illinois State Redbirds in 2012 receiving for 617 yards averaging for 13.4 yards per catch. He was second on the team in receiving touchdowns with six.
Harden was the team’s primary punt returner with 18 returns for 150 yards in the 2012 season.
Going into his freshman season Harden was a member of the College Sports Journal All-Freshman team for the Missouri Valley Football Conference. As a freshman, Harden contributed to the special teams unit and was No. 23 in the FCS in punt returns averaging 9.2 yards per return. Harden averaged 23.5 yards on kickoff returns.
Trent Miles’s Indiana State team faced Illinois State in the 2012 season and lost to the Redbirds 17-10. Harden played in the game only having one reception for six yards and one punt return for no gain.
Harden will ease the pain for the Panthers going into the 2014 season as six receivers will graduate after the current season: Albert Wilson, Danny Williams, Kelton Hill, Jordan Giles, Darren McCray, and Parris Lee.
Harden graduated from Rancho Cucamonga High School in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. and was a four year letterwinner.
