Missouri All-America running back Ahmad Hardy will miss the season-opening contest against visiting Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Sept. 3 as he continues recovering from a gunshot wound to his upper leg.
Hardy was shot in May while attending an outdoor concert in Mississippi. He immediately underwent surgery and has been rehabbing the injury.
While significant progress has been made, Hardy isn’t quite ready to hit the field, according to Tigers coach Eliah Drinkwitz.
“Ahmad is working his rear-end off,” Drinkwitz told reporters. “He’s doing everything we can ask him to do, but just not going to be able to be ready for that first game.”
Drinkwitz also wasn’t ready to set a firm timetable for Hardy’s return.
“I’m targeting as soon as possible,” Drinkwitz said. “We needed a full two-week ramp-up period of practice before we allowed him to play a game, and that timeframe has passed. 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 before we consider playing him in a game, and I’m not there yet.”
Hardy finished second in the nation with 1,649 rushing yards and rushed for 16 touchdowns last season while earning consensus first-team All-America honors.
Hardy had rushing performances of 300 and 250 yards — the former ranking second in school history behind Devin West (319 vs. Kansas in 1998). Overall, Hardy notched eight 100-yard outings.
Last season was Hardy’s first at Missouri. He spent his freshman season at Louisiana-Monroe and rushed for 1,351 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Jamal Roberts will be the main ball carrier for the Tigers in the opener. He rushed for 753 yards and six touchdowns and caught 18 passes for 141 yards and one score last season.
