Missouri may be getting a major piece of its offensive line back just in time for Kansas.
Offensive tackle Cayden Green has returned to practice and is on track to play Friday night in Lawrence, according to Pete Thamel. Green sat out Missouri’s Week 1 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff because of an undisclosed leg injury, but the expectation now is that he’ll be available when the Tigers and Jayhawks kick off at 7 p.m.
That matters for Missouri. Green is the starting left tackle, a preseason All-SEC selection and a first-team All-SEC pick a season ago.
He’s one of the most important players on the offense, and when he has been on the field, he has been productive. Green started 11 games at left tackle in 2025 and missed games against South Carolina and UMass with injury.
Missouri had to patch things together without him against the Golden Lions. Sophomore Jack Lange got the start at left tackle and turned in a pass-blocking grade of 87 and a run-blocking grade of 54.8, per Pro Football Focus. Veteran backup Whit Hafer also saw action there, playing 33 snaps.
The Tigers could be waiting a while longer on another key offensive weapon. Running back Ahmad Hardy has not practiced yet, and his return timeline is still unclear, per Thamel. Hardy suffered a gunshot wound to his upper leg on May 10 and underwent surgery in the hours that followed.
Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz addressed Hardy’s recovery on Aug. 22 and laid out the standard he wants before putting him back on the field.
"I'm targeting as soon as possible. I just know that right now we needed a full two-week ramp up period of practice before we would have allowed him to play in the game and that time frame has passed," Drinkwitz said.
"So does that mean mid-September? I don't know.
Does it mean mid-October? I don't know.
I need a two-week, fully invested, being able to practice at full speed (sample) before we would consider playing him in game and I'm not there yet."
There was also a possible injury concern in Week 1 for junior transfer tailback Malae Fonoti, who appeared to get hurt against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. He did make it to the sideline under his own power, though.
Missouri and Kansas both enter Friday at 1-0 after blowout wins over FCS opponents in Week 1. The game will be the last meeting between the teams until 2031, when Kansas comes back to Columbia, with a rematch in Lawrence set for 2032.
This story will be updated as more information is learned.
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