Former Iowa women's basketball guard Emely Rodriguez transfers to Syracuse
Emely Rodriguez, former Iowa guard, transfers to Syracuse
Missouri football coach Eli Drinkwitz provided an update on running back Ahmad Hardy, who was shot after a concert. Hardy has been discharged from the hospital and is beginning his rehabilitation process.
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For the first time since Ahmad Hardy was shot after attending a concert in the early hours of Sunday, May 11, Missouri football head coach Eli Drinkwitz gave an update about the status of his star running back on Tuesday evening at a Mizzou ‘Zou to You’ caravan stop in Dallas.
Hardy sustained a gunshot wound in his upper leg while seemingly leaving Kamikazy Biker Club in Laurel, Mississippi. He was treated and had surgery at Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
A team official confirmed to the Tribune on Tuesday that the SEC’s leading rusher in the 2025 season has been discharged from hospital in Mississippi and returned to Columbia to begin his rehabilitation process.
In a video posted to X by Dallas Morning News audience sports digital producer Nate Sanchez on Tuesday night, Drinkwitz was asked by event emcee and Voice of the Tigers Mike Kelly about what details he could share about Hardy. The Tribune was not in attendance at Tuesday’s Zou to You event in Dallas.
“I can tell you, Ahmad Hardy has been discharged from the hospital. He's back in MOI (Missouri Orthopedic Institute), and he's working on a recovery,” Drinkwitz said. “The timetable for that recovery is not determined. You know, we'll take it day by day. He will get back healthy. You know, when you're dealing with elite athletes, getting back healthy and getting back to elite status is always a little bit tricky in some of these situations.
“There is an opportunity that he could be back this year. There's an opportunity he couldn’t be back this year. So, we won't know those answers for a few weeks, but he's got the full support of MU Health Care, and he's got the full support of our team as we continue to help him recover and work it day by day.”
All of the above was to be expected after learning Hardy was returning to Columbia.
It’s encouraging news for Hardy’s health that he was able to return to Missouri and begin rehabilitating his injury.
Hardy will make a push to get back on the field in 2026, but it will remain unclear for quite some time whether or not a return is possible this year. The situation is entirely dependent on how quickly he is able to heal.
More: Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy leaves hospital, returns to Columbia
Ahmad Hardy was shot in the upper leg after attending a concert at the Kamikazy Biker Club in Laurel, Mississippi.
Ahmad Hardy has been discharged from the hospital and is now at the Missouri Orthopedic Institute working on his recovery.
The timetable for Ahmad Hardy's return to playing is not yet determined, as his recovery will be assessed day by day.
Eli Drinkwitz is the head coach of the Missouri football team, and he confirmed that Ahmad Hardy is recovering and working on rehabilitation.
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Hardy is one of the returning stars in college football this year. The 20-year-old from Oma, Mississippi, led the SEC and Power conferences with 1,649 rushing yards last season — a remarkable junior campaign after transferring to the Tigers from Louisiana-Monroe that saw him earn consensus All-American honors.
Multiple outlets have projected Hardy as a potential first-round NFL Draft pick next year. He was expected to be one of the best, if not the best, running backs in the country in the 2026 season.
Sep 20, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers running back Ahmad Hardy (29) runs the ball as South Carolina Gamecocks defensive back Vicari Swain (4) defends during the first half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
If the running back is unable to return in the 2026 season, the Tigers likely will turn to Jamal Roberts as the team’s primary running back. Roberts, a redshirt junior from St. Louis, rushed for 753 yards and six touchdowns primarily as Hardy’s backup last season, forming one of the better tailback tandems in the sport.
Mizzou also signed promising Houston Christian running back transfer Xai’Shaun Edwards and Montana transfer Malae Fonoti out of the transfer portal this past offseason.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Eli Drinkwitz addresses Ahmad Hardy status at Missouri caravan stop