Shane Beamer Describes Challenge of Defending Ahmad Hardy

The South Carolina head coach was caught off guard by the amount of explosive plays the sophomore running back has already created.

Sep 6, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers running back Ahmad Hardy (29) runs for a touchdown against Kansas Jayhawks safety Taylor Davis (27) during the first half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Ahmad Hardy added a few extra minutes to Shane Beamer's Monday morning routine this week.

It's the time of the week the South Carolina head coach sets aside to take a look at the explosive plays of his upcoming opponent's offense.

"Just to get all the bad stuff out of the way as quickly as possible," Beamer said of his routine in a press conference Tuesday.

Even though there's only three weeks of tape to look back at, Beamer said the cut up of the Missouri offense felt like the longest explosive run play tape he's reviewed in his five-year career as the Gamecocks' head coach.

"It's just long run after long run," Beamer said.

So far this season, Hardy has had 14 rushes of 10 or more yards. Jamal Roberts, Marquise Davis and Beau Pribula have all added four more of their own. That average of 8.6 explosive runs per game so far outpaces the rate of 2 per game Missouri had last year.

According to Beamer, the root of that success in the running game has been Missouri's outside zone scheme, even amongst consistent struggles across Missouri's offensive line.

"It starts with the scheme they run," Beamer said. "Defensively, if you get reached or you get out of gap, or you don't get off a block on the perimeter, it's a 70-yard touchdown run."

The Kansas defense paid that toll in Week 2, with the offensive line and wide receivers creating a clear path for Roberts to trot down the sideline en route to a 63-yard, game-clinching rushing touchdown. There, Roberts' speed was on full display.

Sep 6, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers running back Jamal Roberts runs the ball towards the end zone against Kansas. | Amber Winkler/MissouriOnSI

But in times when speed isn't enough, or even when the offensive line collapses, Hardy has still been nearly unstoppable.

Oftentimes, Hardy brushes off the first tackle attempt with ease. He's rushed for 462 yards on the year, and 340 of those have came after contact, according to Pro Football Focus. He's also forced 28 missed tackles so far, setting him on pace to outdo his 94 mark from last year, which was the second most in the country.

"He's just a load," Beamer said of Hardy. "He's hard to tackle. He's got great contact balance, he's got really good speed, he's got really good vision."

But the South Carolina defense will be the best defense Hardy and the Tigers will face yet this season. The Gamecocks' run defense finished fourth in the Southeastern Conference in rushing yards allowed last year, letting up an average of 112.2 yards per game.

"They're really stingy against the run," Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz said. "He's (Hardy) going to have to be his own blocker at times, so he's going to have to rush hard again."

Hardy's success has also allowed Missouri to control the time of possession. Over its last seven quarters of play, Missouri has held the ball for 75:27 out of the 105 minutes.

The reel Hardy created for Beamer to watch of explosive plays wasn't quite as long, but just as impressive. The sophomore will look to create more fireworks in the run game Saturday when the Tigers host the Gamecocks to open SEC play.