Missouri is headed into Friday night’s Border War with a shorthanded backfield, but there’s good news on the offensive line.
The Tigers will be without two of their top four running backs against Kansas in Lawrence, with Ahmad Hardy and Malae Fonoti both ruled out. At the same time, left tackle Cayden Green appears ready to return and should be in line to start when Mizzou kicks off at 7 p.m.
Friday at David Booth Family Memorial Stadium. FOX will carry the game.
Hardy, an All-American, is still working back from an offseason gunshot wound he suffered in May while attending a concert in Mississippi. Eli Drinkwitz has said he wants to see Hardy practice at full speed for at least two weeks before putting him in a game, and the preseason All-American only returned to practice Tuesday, according to the coach’s weekly press conference.
That timeline points to Hardy also missing Missouri’s Week 3 matchup with Troy on Sept. 19.
Hardy was present for Missouri’s opener, but he was on the sideline in street clothes.
Fonoti’s absence is a tougher blow for depth. Drinkwitz said Tuesday that the backup back sustained a non-contact ACL tear in Week 1 and is out for the season. Fonoti had been taking Mizzou’s second-string reps behind Jamal Roberts in the Tigers’ season-opening win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
With Fonoti sidelined, Houston Christian transfer Xai’Shaun Edwards is the most likely next man up behind Roberts against Kansas.
Green, meanwhile, looks set to give Missouri a boost up front after missing the opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff with an undisclosed injury. Sophomore Jack Lange started in his place, but Drinkwitz said Tuesday on his weekly radio show that Green was a full participant in practice earlier that day.
“There’s no concerns from me about him performing the way he needs to,” Drinkwitz added.
Kansas also has two prominent injury concerns heading into Friday night.
In Other News...
Kansas Leans Into Border War Tension With Provocative Missouri Message
With No. 23 Missouri headed into a rivalry matchup with Kansas, the old Border War is once again carrying the kind of edge that goes well beyond the standings. The game traces back to 1891, and the surrounding history still gives the meeting a sharper tone than most nonconference dates, with the two states' Civil War-era tensions lingering over a rivalry that has never really needed much extra fuel.
Kansas tried to add some with a Civil War-themed hype video narrated by former player Gilbert Brown, leaning directly into the conflict that has long shadowed this series. The matchup has always been tied to the bitter history between Missouri and Kansas, including the Lawrence Massacre and William Quantrill, so the Jayhawks' message was hardly subtle. For Missouri, it is the kind of promotional jab that can make the lead-up feel just as charged as the game itself. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Faces One Big Border War Test Against Missouri
Kansas and Missouri are about to meet again in football for the second time in two years, and the setup carries the sort of edge that still makes the Border War feel bigger than a normal nonconference game. Missouri goes in as a touchdown favorite, with the game set for Kansas Memorial Stadium and plenty of attention on how each side matches up, from key player availability to the areas where one team might have the upper hand.
For Missouri, the interest goes beyond the line on the board. Rivalry games tend to come down to execution and composure, and this one has the added twist of familiar opponents, fresh analysis and a chance to make a statement on the road. The predictions point to a close, meaningful test, but the real intrigue is whether Missouri can handle the setting and the pressure of a game that still matters a great deal on both sides of the border. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzou Heads To Lawrence With Two Big Questions Up Front
Mizzou heads into Lawrence with a familiar kind of early-season uncertainty up front, where every bit of health and continuity matters before a rivalry game can get into a rhythm. The Tigers have already shown some of what they can be on offense and defense, but this matchup with Kansas puts a spotlight on the line play again, and on whether the group can hold up well enough to let the rest of the offense function the way it should.
Cayden Green has been a full participant in practice and is expected back, which would be a welcome stabilizer for a front trying to settle in. The bigger lingering question is Ahmad Hardy, whose status is still unclear, and that leaves Mizzou with at least one major piece up front hanging in the balance as it prepares for Kansas quarterback Isaiah Marshall and a game that could hinge on which team handles the trenches better. [Read more 🡒]