
Mizzou grabs yet another productive running back from a Sun Belt school, adding much-needed experience to the backfield.
Three of Missouri’s top four running backs from the 2024 season will not return next fall, after super seniors Nate Noel and Marcus Carroll exhausted their eligibility and Kewan Lacey transfered to Ole Miss. Lacey flashed a natural burst as a ball carrier during his occasional cup of coffee as a freshman, and appeared to be the heir apparent, but his departure left Eli Drinkwitz and Curtis Luper with a massive hole at the projected top of the depth chart. They sealed it quickly by signing Ahmad Hardy from Louisiana-Monroe, their third Sun Belt running back in two seasons.
Like Carroll the year before, Hardy rushed for 1,350 yards in the Sun Belt. Unlike Carroll, who had to climb up the depth chart at Georgia Statr over four seasons, Hardy was a freshman phenom for the Warhawks, bursting onto the scene to help drag the historically moribund program within a whisker of bowl eligibility.
Hardy showed an incredible combination of power running and breakaway speed. PFF charting credits Hardy with 94 missed tackles forced, second in the country to only Ashton Jeanty of Boise State. Their “Elusive Score,” a more subjective measure of a ballcarrier’s ability to create space, has him ranked third in the country, behind Jeanty and Jerimyah Love of Notre Dame.
Enjoy this highlight video showing his top-end speed, his ability to break tackles, and his penchant to cut a rug after finding the end zone. He has killer moves with the ball and after the play, too.
FU** IT AHMAD HARDY HIGHLIGHTS
@pylonprods https://t.co/ZeGJB3iMfZ pic.twitter.com/cLHHmMoVUS
— William Quantrill (@WillyQuantrill) December 19, 2024
Where He Fits: Jamal Roberts emerged as a staff favorite in pass protection this season, and will likely keep that role as he enters his upperclassman years. Thus, Hardy should instantly step into a featured role for Mizzou on first & second downs.
Another thing to note: 190 of his 238 carries were on zone plays. In addition, he ran for 6.53 yards per carry on 41 runs into the C gap, the spot targeted by outside zone, Mizzou’s bread-and-butter run play.
When He’ll Play: Hardy will play early and often. Eli Drinkwitz’s emphasis on production over potential in this transfer portal window means that almost every addition will be starting, or at least heavily in the rotation. Hardy is no different. His combination of experience and upside puts him in the mix from the second he steps on campus.
What It All Means: For Missouri fans, it will be impossible to not compare the career arcs of Ahmad Hardy and Kewan Lacey as they embark on the remainder of their collegiate years. In a way, Hardy was the “return” for Lacey in a “trade,” an almost 1:1 replacement. This is similar to how we view Theo Wease and Dominic Lovett.
We will continue to compare their growth the following years, and see who has the higher ceiling. For 2025, Hardy raises Mizzou’s floor for the starting running back position, relative to the unproven Lacey. He rounds out Mizzou’s starting offense and brings an exciting playmaking element to the table.
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