Ahmad Hardy is back, and Missouri is already sorting out what that means for an offense that has found its footing with Jamal Roberts carrying the load.
Hardy made his season debut in Saturday’s 34-10 win over Arkansas, taking the field for the first time since Missouri’s Gator Bowl game against Virginia on Dec. 27, 2025. The All-American running back had been sidelined since suffering a gunshot wound to his upper leg on May 10.
Against the Razorbacks, Hardy got two handoffs late in the first quarter. He picked up 1 yard on the first and 4 yards, plus a first down, on the second. He was on the field for three additional snaps, but Missouri never gave him another carry, even though coach Eli Drinkwitz said he considered getting him a touch in the fourth quarter.
“I think for us, it’s to continue to clearly define what his role can be for us,” Drinkwitz said Tuesday. “Where can we utilize him without throwing off the rhythm of what we’ve already established offensively with Jamal (Roberts)?
I think you’ll see more of a rotation than what we were last week. We’re a more enhanced version of, hey, this is what his role will be.”
Roberts has been the steady force in Missouri’s backfield all season, handling the every-down job through the Tigers’ first eight games. His responsibilities have included outside runs, red-zone work and pass protection, and he’s delivered with 1,005 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on a nation-most 190 carries.
Now he gets some help back. After backing up Hardy a season ago, Roberts said it means a lot to have another trusted runner available.
“It’s always a good thing to have somebody that you can trust on the field outside of just me on the field,” Roberts said. “It’s just a good feeling, because once upon a time, I was one of them (backups).”
Roberts wasn’t the only Missouri back to flash against Arkansas. Freshman Preston had his best outing of the season, finishing with 49 yards on three carries. Those were his first handoffs since Week 1 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
The Lee’s Summit product has climbed the depth chart despite being listed at 5 foot, 9 inches and 170 pounds. Drinkwitz said his approach has already drawn comparisons to one of Missouri’s recent standouts.
“The way he works in the summer, how hard he pushes himself, the way he conducts himself around this building, he's got some qualities of elite running backs that I've been around here, and those qualities aren’t necessarily on the field,” Drinkwitz said. “It’s just the way he approaches his business.
He’s got a workmanlike mentality. It reminds me a ton of the way Cody (Schrader) approached his day to day.
He’s earned his opportunity.”
Schrader, a former walk-on, ran for 1,627 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2023 as Missouri finished 11-2 and beat No. 7 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.
Missouri’s offense is also getting a lift from a different kind of weapon. Sophomore receiver DaMarion Fowlkes, who has mostly worked as a returner over the past two seasons, got five offensive touches against Arkansas. That included two catches and three sweep handoffs.
Fowlkes finished with 21 yards on three carries, along with a 4-yard reception and another catch that lost 3 yards. Donovan Olugbode said the key with Fowlkes is simple.
“He's a very explosive kid,” Olugbode said. “With the ball in his hands, anything can happen.”
Missouri, 6-2 and 3-2 in the SEC, hosts Texas, also 6-2 and 3-2, at 11 a.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Columbia.
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Missouris first SEC availability report for its matchup with Texas brought a bit of clarity to the start of a big week, and the Tigers came out of it in decent shape. The league-required update listed no new injuries for Missouri beyond the players already ruled out, which at least gives the Tigers a clean initial read as they begin preparing for one of the conferences marquee games.
Texas, meanwhile, had a longer list to sort through, with several starters and key contributors showing up as questionable or out, including wide receivers Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo, running back Hollywood Smothers and defensive end Colin Simmons. The reports will be updated daily as kickoff gets closer, so Missouris early edge is only a snapshot, but it is the kind of snapshot a team would rather see on its side heading into a week like this. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzous Shot At A Statement Win May Depend On Texas Saturday
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Among the names to watch are Colin Simmons, Ryan Wingo, Cam Coleman, Kade Phillips and Graceson Littleton, all listed as questionable. Texas is already without running back Hollywood Smothers and tight end Nick Townsend, while Trevor Goosby is out for the season, leaving the Longhorns with some real uncertainty on both sides of the ball as Missouri looks to capitalize on the opening. [Read more 🡒]
Ahmad Hardy Just Became Mizzous Biggest Question Against Texas
Ahmad Hardy finally got back on the field in Missouris win over Arkansas, and even in a limited return, the Tigers had to like simply having their returning All-American running back available again. Hardy played five snaps and carried twice for five yards, a modest first step after missing time, but it was enough to signal that Missouri can begin folding him back into the offense as the stakes rise late in the season.
Eliah Drinkwitz has already said Hardys workload should grow against Texas, which adds another layer to a matchup that already has plenty riding on it. Missouri has leaned on Jamal Roberts to lead the SEC in rushing yards, but the Tigers are now trying to balance that production with Hardys return while staring down a Texas defense that will make every carry count. [Read more 🡒]