‘I feel like we back’: Roberts, Hardy reunite in Mizzou’s win over Arkansas

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Ahmad Hardy waited. Jamal Roberts waited for him.

Hardy hadn’t played a game in 309 days, making his last appearance in Missouri’s season-ending Gator Bowl loss Dec. 27. His 89 rushing yards in the postseason contest helped him claim Missouri’s all-time single-season rushing yards record, reaching 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns on the season.

Roberts notched a quality performance that night, too: 56 yards and a score on 11 carries. In the pairs’ 13 games together in 2025, both rushed for 50 or more yards in the same contest seven times and 100 or more yards three times.

Roberts primarily served as Hardy’s backup in 2025, and was one of — if not the — best backup tailbacks in the nation, posting 763 yards and six touchdowns on the ground in his junior campaign.

With both returning for another season in 2026, the sky was the limit. But the sky came falling down May 10.

Hardy suffered a gunshot wound to his upper leg May 10 after a concert in Mississippi. He underwent surgery and began a lengthy journey to recovery shortly after. Hardy was sidelined for all of fall camp and the first seven games of Missouri’s season, unable to defend his throne as one of the top running backs in the nation or take the field alongside his teammates.

Just how much did he miss football?

“Every day,” Hardy said postgame.

Roberts held down the fort while Hardy was sidelined, rushing for 867 yards and eight touchdowns entering the matchup. Against Arkansas, he ran for 138 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries, marking the fifth game of his season with triple-digit rushing yards and helping him eclipse 1,000 yards on the ground this season.

“I played a lot last year, but (Roberts) came in and took the throne, you feel me?” Hardy said. “That right there just means a lot to me — that I can do the same thing, and he can do the same thing, and we can both be the best backs in the SEC.”

But after returning to practice for the first time all season Monday, Hardy made his season debut against the Razorbacks on Saturday. Long apart, the pair was now reunited.

“I feel like we back,” Roberts said. “That's what it is.”

Hardy entered the game with 1:31 remaining in the first quarter and was met with cheers that rang around Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. He trotted onto the field as he’s done countless times before and waited behind quarterback Austin Simmons for the snap.

For a moment, everything stopped. It felt surreal seeing the All-American back in his usual spot in the backfield mere months after such a frightening injury. Would he really get the handoff here?

He did. Hardy took the handoff from Simmons, ran to the line of scrimmage and bounced right before being tackled at the ankle by a Razorback defender. Gain of 1 yard.

The very next play, he took another handoff and absorbed plenty of contact before being brought 4 yards later, moving the chains and picking up the first down in the process. It’s been quite some time since Hardy’s been seen in his true form, embracing physicality and contact with every stride.

“Back like old times,” Hardy said. “I mean, wasn't nothin hard. I done did it before.”

Hardy jogged off the field and was met by embraces from his coaches. It was evident his team enjoyed having their brother alongside them in battle.

“It was just heartwarming, man,” Roberts said. “It just touched me in my heart.”

He played three more snaps but didn’t receive another handoff. Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz considered getting Hardy in late in the fourth quarter but opted not to, citing that Hardy wasn’t “loose” at that point. Still, his two handoffs were more than Hardy anticipated getting — he thought he was going to be a “decoy” in his return.

"I'm really really proud of Ahmad Hardy,” Drinkwitz said. “It's been a long road to get back here. It's been a very difficult challenge for everybody. I want to thank our doctors and our trainers and our strength staff and athletic performance team, but really proud of Ahmad. You can tell he's still facing, trying to get back used to it. But to be able to come in there and get us a big first down, I was really proud of him."

The superstar, now with some jitters out of the way and finally having returned to the field, can carry momentum with him as Missouri enters the last third of its season.

Hardy, Roberts and the rest of the Tigers will be back in action when Mizzou hosts Texas at 11 a.m. Saturday.

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