Missouri All-American tailback Ahmad Hardy is set to make his season debut this weekend at Arkansas, sources told ESPN. Hardy is not going to start, but he's expected to get a handful of carries, sources said.
Hardy has been out since May after dealing with injuries from being struck by a bullet in May. He returned to practice this week and is now set to make his 2026 debut. Hardy led the SEC in rushing last season with 1,649 yards, averaging 6.4 yards per carry and finishing with 16 touchdowns. He earned consensus All-America honors, was a Doak Walker Award finalist and earned first-team All-SEC honors.
Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz has been cautious about bringing back Hardy, indicating there's no blueprint for a player returning from gunshot wound injuries. Hardy was not on the availability report on Wednesday for the first time this season. Missouri tailback Jamal Roberts has played an outsized role in Hardy's absence, leading the SEC with 124 yards per game.
Following the Arkansas game, Missouri will play three highly ranked teams -- No. 11 Texas, at No. 3 Georgia and No. 9 Kentucky.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing