Mizzou’s fall camp is underway, and one of the biggest early storylines is still Ahmad Hardy’s status.
The Tigers are about a month out from their September 3 season opener against Arkansas Pine-Bluff, but Hardy won’t be taking part in practice this week as he continues working back from the gunshot wound he suffered in May. On Sunday, Eli Drinkwitz said the All-American running back is still in recovery and is limited to rehab walkthroughs for now.
“Ahmad is in his recovery. It really hasn’t changed since the last two weeks.
He will not be a participant in practice this week, but he will be a participant in rehab walkthroughs as we continue just to get him acclimated back to what it would take to play football. Should not have an adjustment on that.
I think in two weeks there may be another update on where everything is at.”
That leaves the exact timeline a little murky, even if the expectation remains that Hardy will suit up at some point this season. The SEC’s leading rusher from a year ago is still working through the return-to-play process, and the question now is not whether he’ll play, but when.
Mizzou won’t need Hardy to handle Arkansas Pine-Bluff in the opener, but getting him closer to full speed before the Border War in Week 2 would be the ideal next step.
Drinkwitz said at SEC Media Days in July that Hardy had already been medically cleared, though he remains in a 5-8 week return to play protocol.
In Other News...
Mizzou Fall Camp Is Already Shaping Two Crucial Position Battles
Missouris second fall camp practice with media access offered an early look at a few battles that could matter well beyond August. Redshirt senior defensive tackle Marquis Gracial set the tone by leading the opening rally, while edge rushers Darris Smith, Langden Kitchen and Daeden Hopkins handled the bulk of the snaps as the Tigers sort through who will fill out that rotation. On the offensive side, Austin Simmons ran the drills with Matt Zollers, Nick Evers and Gavin Sidwar still jockeying for backup quarterback work, giving the staff an early chance to evaluate how the depth chart might settle.
Special teams had its own intrigue as kicker Blake Craig was back in action after his long rehab, and punter Brunno Reus worked with the first group. Four-star linebacker JJ Bush also participated in practice, a notable development for a defense trying to add more options at the second level. None of this decides anything in early August, but it does underline how many spots remain open, and how quickly those reps can shape the rest of camp. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzou's Cornerback Battle Just Got Tougher Than Fans Realized
Missouris secondary has added some real intrigue this spring, starting with Jahlil Florence as the first official transfer addition from the January portal window and then bringing in another former Oregon defensive back in Sione Laulea. Both are now in the mix for starting cornerback jobs, and they have joined a crowded competition that already includes Ole Miss transfer Chris Graves Jr., giving the Tigers multiple options as they sort out the back end of the defense.
Cornerbacks coach Al Pogue has already pointed to the pairs skill set and the leadership they bring as they settle into the program, which only raises the importance of how this battle plays out. For Missouri, the challenge is not just finding one dependable starter but figuring out how all of these new faces fit together quickly enough to make the position group a strength instead of a spring-long project. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzou Is Getting National Respect With One Brutal Test Still Ahead
Missouri is entering the season with a bit more national attention than it had a year ago, as USA Todays preseason Coaches Top 25 poll placed the Tigers in the mix among the countrys final ranked teams. The recognition fits with a roster that already has several individual players drawing notice, including Ahmad Hardy, Cayden Green and Brett Le Blanc landing on national award watchlists tied to the Maxwell Award, Outland Trophy and Patrick Mannelly Award.
Hardy and Green also made the Preseason All-SEC First Team, giving Missouri a pair of headliners before the first snap is even taken. The larger question now is how that respect holds up once the games start and the Tigers face the kind of proving ground that can turn preseason buzz into something sturdier, or expose how much work still remains. [Read more 🡒]