Fall camp is almost here, which means it’s time to start selling stock for the 2026 season. Not every player, coach or team won the offseason. Here are the three I’m cashing out on before kickoff: one player, one coach and one team.
Player: Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy
This is a lot less to do with Hardy as a player and more to do with Hardy’s injury. Coming off a gunshot wound is hard enough, but the bullet hitting the bone is much more difficult in terms of recovery. Hardy is medically clear, and I think at some point this season he will be ready to go and back to his old self.
He may not need to be the one who shoulders the entire load of the offense this year. There’s his backup, Jamal Roberts, who finished third in the SEC in rushing yards per carry. More importantly, you get the feeling that Austin Simmons is going to be a much better quarterback than what Drinkwitz was stuck with a season ago.
Ahmad Hardy could very well lead the SEC in rushing once again, and let’s not forget that Missouri has had the conference rushing leader in three of the previous five seasons. The help around Hardy this season may not make it as necessary as it was a season ago if Missouri is going to be successful.
Coach: Ryan Silverfield
Any coach that has to defend their “aura” by talking about his “smoking hot wife” is a nerd. Period. What in the weirdo, mega church pastor kind of comment is that at SEC Media Days.
Silverfield hasn’t necessarily gotten a fair shake, but most of that is his own fault. His resume in comparison to other new head coaches is comparable. But, finishing no better than fourth in the American Conference doesn’t exactly give a ton of confidence to Razorback fans.
Team: Alabama
There’s just very little to convince me that Alabama is going to somehow not take a step back this season. The quarterback situation isn’t the reason why, nor is it the biggest concern.
The quarterback wasn’t the biggest concern in either of the last two seasons. There is a groundswell of support for Kalen DeBoer being able to improve the offensive line by addition from subtraction. Miss me with that, though.
There’s no chance that an offensive line that loses a three year starter at center and a top 12 pick at left tackle just miraculously gets better. I’ve said this repeatedly and will continue to do so, my wedding is in a little over 90 days. My goal weight for the wedding is to be as thin as Alabama is in the trenches.
