The run game has been a key each year since Eliah Drinkwitz took over the helm of the Missouri Tigers.
From Larry Rountree rushing for 972 yards in just 10 games in Drinkwitz’s first year, to Tyler Badie running for a then-school record 1,604 in 2021.
That was passed when Cody Schrader ran for 1,627 and 14 touchdowns in 2023, then Nate Noel and Marcus Carroll combined for 1,413 and 15 scores last season.
The outside zone run scheme has led the Tigers a long way the past five years.
“I think it really speaks to (running backs) coach (Curtis) Luper and his ability to get the best out of the players that he has,” Drinkwitz said. “You know, this is really several years in a row, whether you’re talking about Larry Rountree or Tyler Badie or Cody Schrader or Nate Noel and now Ahmad Hardy or Jamal Roberts or Marquis Davis for that matter, that those guys are going to get opportunities and they’re going to impact the game and they’re going to get the football and they’re going to run outside zone at an elite level.”
Now the trio of Hardy, Roberts and Davis will take up the mantle as the Tigers move into the next era of the outside zone era in Columbia.
Roberts is the only returner after running for 216 yards on just 53 carries with three touchdowns last year as a redshirt freshman. Roberts shined as a third-down back, especially showing success as a pass protector.
“Jamal Roberts, Mr. Dependable,” Drinkwitz said.
But after the departure of Noel and Carroll, Drinkwitz went looking to see if he could supplement the running back room in the transfer portal.
And he came away with a gem.
Hardy joined the Tigers after a true freshman season at Louisiana-Monroe where he put up one of the best statistical seasons in college football last year.
Hardy rushed for 1,351 yards and 13 touchdowns, with an astounding 1,012 of those yards coming after contact. That total put him seventh in the country in yards after contact, but third among players who played only 12 games.
“The cool thing about Ahmad was, I was able to call (Louisiana-Monroe head coach) Bryant Vincent, who’s a friend of mine I’ve known for a while in this profession. We actually clinic'd and talked outside zone together several times and I was able to call him and ask him about Ahmad and what his thoughts were. I mean, I hope that people would speak as highly of me, you know, when they call about me and my assistant coaches, I mean, that guy couldn’t say enough positive things about Ahmad as a teammate, as a player, as a young man and he was happy for his success. And so that really made us really excited to be able to add him.”
Hardy comes in after a season with the Warhawks where he dominated while running the same scheme the Tigers run with the outside zone. And that prior knowledge has helped him take the lead in the room even though he’s new.
“Ahmad Hardy comes along, teaches his teammates how to ride a horse and run the outside zone," Drinkwitz said. "It’s been as impressive to watch him on twitter riding horses as much as it’s been impressive to watch him on film. He does an excellent job at both.”
But along with that pair using their college experience to help continue the Tiger run game success, Missouri added a dynamic, four-star freshman who might be on the field a little earlier than fans tend to expect.
“Marquise Davis, excellent runner, excellent runner,” Drinkwitz said. “He’s a guy who’s going to have an impact as a true freshman. I feel like he’s going to be able to provide us with some added depth and explosiveness at the running back position.’
Add on returning redshirt junior Tavorus Jones, incoming freshman Brendon Haygood and recent walk-on-turned-scholarship back Anthony Favrow, and the Tiger run game seems set to continue the success Drinkwitz and Luper have led into Year 6.
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