At Missouri’s preseason media day, PowerMizzou sat down with the Tigers’ position coaches and coordinators, and running backs coach Curtis Luper had plenty to say about the summer, the backfield and one of the more emotional moments of the offseason.
The conversation started with Ahmad Hardy, and specifically the moment Luper learned something was wrong. He said it came on Mother’s Day, around 7 a.m., when he noticed a missed call from Hardy’s father.
“Yeah, it was Mother's Day. Mother's Day, 7 a.m. or so.
I got a missed call from his father. So when you get that missed call, you know, there's a lot of things that go through your head at that time.
I think the missed call was like 2 a.m. Obviously, you know, our players are like our children.
We spend more time with them than we do our own, particularly this time of the year. So really close.
It's a ministry for me, and you know, the parental side kicked in. Coach Drinks was like, 'Hey, let's go.
You want to go?' I said, 'Absolutely.'
So when he came out of surgery that morning, I was there, my wife was there, his mother and father, and we're just happy that he's in a position now that he can get himself back to play, and we're just blessed that it wasn't worse than it could have been.”
Luper also pointed to the value of keeping Jamal Roberts in the program, noting that fans’ first reaction to Hardy’s situation was understandable. But from his perspective, Roberts’ return gives Missouri a proven piece in the room.
“Absolutely, Jamal Roberts has been here you know four years now. He earned a scholarship.
He came to camp, which most young men refuse to do, and he had opportunities last season after a great season, where he averaged like six yards of carry, 850 yards, to go a lot of places and maybe make more money. I think he knows he's better here.
He'll tell you, I'm better here with Ahmad Hardy, better here with this staff, better here with this system, with this offensive line, I'm better here. I want to finish at Missouri.
So he'll be rewarded for his decision because early on he's gonna play a little bit more probably than he thought.”
There was also a question about Xai'Shuan Edwards and what gives him a chance to take a step forward. Luper said the Tigers saw traits they wanted before Edwards even got to campus, and pointed to a specific game that stood out.
“Xai'Shaun, you know, he played last year at Houston, Christian, and there's some things that we look for. We're looking at video of high school players or guys in a boardroom.
He has what we're looking for. Watching against Nebraska last year, he had a really good football game.
He's conscientious and works hard, and he'll surprise some people.”
Q&A with offensive line coach Brandon Jones
In Other News...
Which Mizzou Defensive Transfer Can Change This SEC Unit Fastest
Mizzous defense has been a steady strength under coordinator Corey Batoon, finishing among the nations best in total defense in back-to-back seasons. Now the Tigers are trying to reload with help from the transfer portal, and the additions have plenty of pedigree: JaDon Blair, Elijah Dotson, Jahlil Florence and Robert Woodyard Jr. all arrived from major programs as former four-star recruits, giving this unit a deeper look and a higher ceiling heading into the season.
The question now is which newcomer can make that jump fastest and give Missouri the biggest immediate lift in the SEC. A fan survey is already underway to sort through the possibilities, which says plenty about how many different directions this could go for a defense that has been so reliable. With several transfer pieces in the mix, the Tigers do not need all of them to hit at once, but they do need at least one to separate quickly and become a difference-maker. [Read more 🡒]
Blake Craigs Return Puts Mizzous Biggest Special Teams Question Front And Center
Blake Craigs return gives Missouri something it sorely lacked over the second half of 2025: a proven kicker with a track record the Tigers can trust. Craig was lost early in the season to a knee injury and spent the rest of the year watching a kicking game that never really found its footing, with the Tigers struggling to cash in from distance when drives stalled near scoring range.
The timing matters even more now because the backdrop at Memorial Stadium is changing, too. With construction work reshaping the North end zone area, Missouris special teams staff has to sort through a new set of kicking conditions while also figuring out how to reintegrate Craig after a year away. For a team that already learned how much hidden yardage and reliable kicking can swing a season, its an issue that will linger well into 2026. [Read more 🡒]