Overview
- ESPN reporter Pete Thamel says Hardy still has not practiced and will not be ready for the start of the 2026 season, with the program targeting a mid-September return.
- Hardy suffered a gunshot wound at a concert in Mississippi in May, underwent surgery, and has been rehabbing in Columbia, Missouri since returning to the program.
- Coach Eli Drinkwitz previously said Hardy had been “medically cleared” but gave a five-to-eight-week timeline for return to play, underscoring that clearance did not mean immediate on-field activity.
- Missouri expects Hardy to miss at least its first two games and possibly return around the Sept. 19 home game against Troy, so redshirt junior Jamal Roberts is set to carry the bulk of early rushing work.
- Hardy was the nation’s second-leading rusher in 2025 with 1,649 yards and 16 TDs, so his absence represents a major short-term loss in proven rushing production and leaves the team’s offense contingent on his rehab progress and future medical updates.