RECAP: Mizzou comes out of fall camp mostly healthy; still awaiting return of Ahmad Hardy

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Mizzou football team has made it to the other side of its preseason training camp with one of the most important things on its side: health.

On Saturday, head coach Eli Drinkwitz wrapped up fall camp with local media members, as he gave the latest injury update following the final scrimmage of the preseason. All-in-all the list of players who grappled with injury in the month of August isn't too extensive.

According to Coach Eli, there were four guys that have had to get healthy, this month. Tight end Gavin Hoffman suffered a hamstring strain, wide receiver Jabari Brady hyperextended his knee and had a minor bone bruise and offensive lineman Braylon Ellison had an injury, as well. The good news is that trio of guys should be mostly good to return by the time Mizzou's season opener arrives on Sept. 3.

In addition to those guys, Drinkwitz said that defensive tackle Donta Simpson had a medical condition that prevented him from practicing at the start of fall camp. Until about Aug. 11, the sophomore was in return-to-play protocol, but has since been totally cleared for action. In fact, the d-tackle took every rep that he was supposed to in Saturday night's scrimmage at Faurot Field.

Of course, there's still one player that Tiger fans are anxiously awaiting to see return to the field: All-American running back Ahmad Hardy.

Drinkwitz gave an update on the junior, as he's still recovering from a gunshot wound he sustained to his leg in early May. Hardy did not practice all of fall camp, so he will not be available for Mizzou's Week 1 game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The team said the needs to have a full two-week ramp-up period, where he is full-go in practice, before they will consider letting him take the field again.

"Football is not a game where if you're a step slower or not to the speed that you were before...people are trying to hit you at full speed, especially when you carry the ball, Drinkwitz said. "So, you know, until he's back to what he needs to be to protect himself, then we have to do the best that we can [to protect him]."

The Tigers will kickoff the 2026 campaign on Thursday, Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.