According to reports from college football analyst Pete Thamel, one of Texas A&M's opponents on the 2026 schedule could be without its star running back for an extended period.
Thamel said that sources have told him Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy will not be available for the Tigers' season opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, as he continues to recover from being shot during the offseason. Per reports from the incident, Hardy was leaving a rap concert at the Kamakazy Biker Club in Laurel, Mississippi, at around 2 a.m. on May 10, when police say gunfire erupted in the parking lot. Amid the chaos, the All-American running back was in the passenger seat of a car when he was struck by a bullet, which required surgery.
He still has not practiced
with Mizzou, which will likely keep him out of early-September action.
Sources: Missouri star running back Ahmad Hardy will not be available for the start of the season, as he still hasn’t practiced for the Tigers. The target for his return is mid-September, as he continues to rehab and recover from his gun shot wound. pic.twitter.com/4kx6IA9mwC
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 22, 2026
The ULM transfer was named a consensus First-Team All-American, First-Team All-SEC, SEC Newcomer of the Year and a Doak Walker Award Finalist, after ranking second in college football with 1,403 rushing yards and first in the country with 983 yards after contact. Hardy boasts two of the top-eight rushing performances by a Missouri running back in program history in just one season with the Tigers.
His health progression will be something to monitor moving through September, with Texas A&M slated to travel to Columbia to take on Mizzou on October 10. While it seems highly unlikely that Hardy will play through the first couple of games, he could potentially return in time for the matchup against the Aggies in October. This isn't your typical football injury, which could sway when Hardy appears on the gridiron again in 2026.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Update on Missouri's star RB before hosting Texas A&M in Week 6
