Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 31-3vs Houston Christian | 11 | 77 | 7.0 | 1 | 16 | Season-high 77 yds |
| Wk 2 | L 0-52@ Notre Dame | 9 | 13 | 1.4 | 0 | 3 | |
| Total | 20 | 90 | 4.2 | 1 | 16 |
#28
DAndre Hardeman Jr.
Sophomore running back for Rice. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
5′8″ · 197 lb · Houston, TX · North Shore
CFB Index 43 · #191 of 326 RBsHigh confidenceReturning to Rice for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
90
rushing yards · 2026
1 TD · 4.5 per carry
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 77 rush yds, 1 TD, vs Houston Christian
His career numbers, season by seasonDAndre Hardeman Jr.
Does a little of everything without one standout trait. Second year in the Rice backfield, same address the whole way. The receipt: 77 rush yds, 1 rush TD against Houston Christian — Week 1, 2026.
90 RUSH YDS · 1 RUSH TD · 20 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
Rice
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Scott Abell — 6-9 over that span.
2025Rice5-8HC: Scott Abell · Run-heavy
2026Rice1-1HC: Scott Abell · Run-heavy, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (6)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 45.0 YDS/g, 4.2 YPC, 0.5 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Scott Abell
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-AAC
Based on 2025: #22 of 37 American Athletic RBs
How the All-AAC estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 31–3
77 rush yds (11 car) · 1 TD
Dominant 28-point win at home against Houston Christian.
With Q. Jackson — 61 rush yds (10 car) · 2 TD · C. Durkin — 54 AVG · 54 LONG · 1 NO
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 1 · Houston Christian · 3&2 · Q1 · EPA +2.54(01:02) No Huddle-Shotgun #28 D.Hardeman rush middle for 2 yards gain to the HCU00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 01:02 #28 E.Gota kick attempt good (H: #29 C.Durkin, LS: #48 P.Derichsweiler)
- Week 1 · Houston Christian · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA +1.50(09:06) No Huddle-Shotgun #28 D.Hardeman rush middle for 16 yards gain to the Rice45 fumbled by #28 D.Hardeman at Rice44 forced by #17 J.King recovered by Rice #56 N.Bledsoe at Rice45, End Of Play, 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Notre Dame · 3&1 · Q4 · EPA -1.30(10:29) Shotgun #28 D.Hardeman rush middle for 1 yard loss to the Rice47 (#43 K.Kia; #35 T.Rezac)
- Week 1 · Houston Christian · 3&1 · Q3 · EPA +1.06(01:11) No Huddle-Shotgun #28 D.Hardeman rush middle for 13 yards gain to the HCU27 (#12 G.White; #17 J.King), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Notre Dame · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA -0.59(01:17) Shotgun #28 D.Hardeman rush left for 1 yard gain to the Rice26 (#4 J.Ausberry; #56 E.Hughes)
- Week 2 · Notre Dame · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA -0.59(04:21) Shotgun #28 D.Hardeman rush right for 1 yard gain to the Rice26 (#11 K.Keeley)
- Week 1 · Houston Christian · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +0.48(08:59) No Huddle-Shotgun #28 D.Hardeman rush middle for 8 yards gain to the HCU17 (#4 T.Zappe; #9 M.Tomas)
- Week 2 · Notre Dame · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA -0.43(13:12) Shotgun #28 D.Hardeman rush middle for 3 yards gain to the Rice43 (#4 J.Ausberry)
- Week 2 · Notre Dame · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA -0.42(08:03) Shotgun #28 D.Hardeman rush middle for 2 yards gain to the UND36 (#35 T.Rezac; #20 J.O'Brien)
- Week 2 · Notre Dame · 2&9 · Q2 · EPA -0.41(00:35) Shotgun #28 D.Hardeman rush middle for 0 yards to the Rice26 (#56 E.Hughes; #44 R.Dunham)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Rice
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · Rice
Returning around him
- 39% of 2024 offensive production back (Moderate turnover)
- Transfer portal: -2 net (20 in / 22 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Rice · Last season: 5-8 · Talent rank #100 · 2026 recruiting class #104
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Back
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
RB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Jamale Carothers’s 2020 season.
Matches Jamale on
Yards / carry
Rush TD rate
Differs from Jamale on
Height (lower)
Receiving share (lower)
Class year (lower)
Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Darius Wilson’s path through William & Mary.
Matches Darius on
Yards per carry
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Jamale Carothers's freshman season at Navy (2020).
Matches Jamale on
Weight
Yards / carry
Receiving share
Differs from Jamale on
Class year (lower)
Background
Honors American Conference All-Academic 2026 The Athletic Freaks List (#20) Pronunciation Guide 2025 True freshman who finished fourth on the team with 325 yards on the ground, the most by an Owls true freshman since Samuel Steward finished 2017 with 388… Made his debut vs. Houston with 23 yards...
The backfield · Rice
- #10Quinton Jackson889 rushing yards · 2025
- #28DAndre Hardeman Jr.302 rushing yards · 2025
- #26Tyvonn Byars193 rushing yards · 2025
- #30Carson Morgan18 rushing yards · 2025
- #27Dionne Simsno box-score line yet
1 more on the roster · Rice team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology