Hardy re-signs with Mizzou for junior season

Have no fear. Running back Ahmad Hardy is returning to Missouri in 2026 for his junior season.

In a social media post Friday afternoon, Mizzou football announced Hardy’s re-signing with the program, easing any potential worries he might depart. Comments made early in the week signaled that news of his return might be imminent.

Hardy was asked during Tuesday’s press conference if other schools had called and offered money to lure him to the transfer portal — a realistic proposition given his dominant 2025 campaign.

The sophomore made his allegiance to the Tigers clear.

“Not yet,” Hardy said, smirking. “When I was in the portal, they (were), but I think they know I’m a Tiger, so they ain’t hitting me up.”

Cementing the return of Hardy was one of Missouri’s most important areas of emphasis for the offseason. While its offense as a whole struggled throughout this season, the run game remained a force behind the rise of the UL Monroe transfer.

Hardy’s 1,560 rushing yards rank second in the nation, and he leads all players with an average of 130 rushing yards per game. He was a Doak Walker Award finalist and earned consensus All-America honors.

Losing Hardy would’ve complicated the offseason considerably. The Tigers will already lose a few key offensive pieces in quarterback Beau Pribula and wide receivers Marquis Johnson and Josh Manning to the transfer portal in January. While those players could be replaceable, it’s hard to find another Hardy.

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Missouri is also trying to get confirmation from running back Jamal Roberts about returning next year. Roberts has rushed for 697 yards and totaled six touchdowns. While he played second fiddle to Hardy, he was integral to the success of the run game.

Coach Eli Drinkwitz made his plea to Roberts on Tuesday.

“If anybody in St. Louis has third-party NIL that they’d like to donate to keep Jamal Roberts around, we’d love to talk to you about it, because he’s a heck of a player,” Drinkwitz said. “We’d love nothing more than to have him be a Tiger for his career.”

Roberts posted an uncaptioned photo of him running the ball against Kansas on Wednesday, which could signal his return, though nothing has been confirmed.

Now that Hardy has agreed to stay in Columbia, he will likely appear in the Gator Bowl against Virginia on Dec. 27 in Jacksonville, Florida. If he can record at least 68 rushing yards, he will be Missouri’s new single-season rushing leader.

“We always say that we’ve got to finish the job,” Hardy said. “We started something we wanted to finish. A lot of guys get in the portal and things like that. No bad blood; it’s not our problem. We’ve just got a job to finish here.”

History is on the table for Hardy to make next week. With another season to go at Mizzou, he’s well on the trajectory to make more.