Kenronte Walker: MU’s Defensive Anchor
The Columbia Tribune’s Dave Matter profiled MU safety Kenronte Walker, who rose from last year’s scout team to a starting position on the team this year:
"Walker opened this season as the No. 2 strong safety behind senior co-captain Kenji Jackson. At free safety, a revolving door spun throughout the fall. Matt White emerged as the favorite after Tavon Bolden was dismissed from the team for academic reasons, but when White struggled, redshirt freshman Braylon Webb got his chance. He played well in four starts but tore his meniscus against Baylor on Nov. 5.All the while, Walker was playing on special teams but barely seeing time in the secondary."
Walker eventually got to start at free safety, and Matter highlighted the statistical improvement in the Tigers’ defense since Walker became a starter:
"Other factors surely contributed, but the Tigers (7-5) finished the regular season with three straight wins after Walker joined the starting lineup. He made 18 tackles in the victories over Texas, Texas Tech and Kansas, including a sack of KU’s Jordan Webb on a third-down safety blitz. Walker’s addition to the secondary shored up the back end and cut down on big plays. In the three wins, Missouri gave up just one passing touchdown on 110 pass attempts and kept Texas and Kansas out of the end zone. In the previous nine games that Walker didn’t start — and barely saw the field other than special teams — the Tigers gave up a passing touchdown once every 21 attempts."
Granted, Texas and Kansas aren’t exactly “Air Raid” offenses, but the difference in MU’s pass defense was extremely noticeable over the course of the final three games. Walker’s presence should give the Tigers a boost against Walker’s home-state North Carolina Tarheels in the Independence Bowl.