Missouri Tigers Spring Football Position Previews: Defensive End

The Missouri Tigers have been on spring break, therefore there were no practices this week. That won’t stop us from continuing to preview the positions. Today we shift over to the defense and focus on the defensive ends.

Out of all the positions on the field, Missouri would most likely attribute their success over the past two years to the defensive ends. In 2013 Michael Sam and Kony Ealy lined up across the offensive tackles, and in 2014 Markus Golden and Shane Ray did the same.

Nov 22, 2014; Knoxville, TN, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive lineman Markus Golden (33) and defensive lineman Shane Ray (56) celebrate after the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. Missouri won 29 to 21. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Sam and Ealy combined for 21 sacks and an incredible 33.5 tackles for loss, while Golden and Ray collectively chipped in 11 sacks and 22 sacks of their own. That all happened in one year in 2013.

As full time starters in 2014, Golden and Ray dazzled with 24.5 sacks and 44.5 tackles for loss. Both will be NFL draft picks in late April and will be picked very early. There was certainty that they would star in 2014.

The level of certainty can’t be said about the incumbents: Charles Harris and Marcus Loud. That’s not to say they won’t reach Golden and Ray’s stardom, they just haven’t been on the field enough to declare that one will be a future SEC Defensive Player of the Year like Sam and Ray were, or NFL Draft picks like all four will be.

In limited snaps Harris and Loud had 2.5 sacks and five tackles for loss. Both are redshirt sophomores and are poised for a breakout season.

Harris is more of a finesse defensive end at 6-foot-3 but has started to gain weight at 255 pounds, much heavier than the 220 pounds he had when he first came to Columbia. Loud is more of a physically imposing presence at 6-foot-4 260 pounds, similar to Ealy when he was a redshirt sophomore in 2012.

Oct 11, 2014; Columbia, MO, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Hutson Mason (14) is sacked by Missouri Tigers defensive lineman Charles Harris (91) during the second half at Faurot Field. Georgia won 34-0. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

After Golden suffered a hamstring injury in a practice before the Indiana game, Harris was inserted into the starting lineup. The Hoosiers took advantage of this and ran the majority of their plays away from Ray and to Harris, which overwhelmed the freshman.

Harris also had to play the majority of the SEC Championship against Alabama when Ray was ejected for a targeting penalty on Tide quarterback Blake Sims. He had two of the 2.5 combined sacks and four of the 4.5 combined tackles for loss.

Loud mysteriously fell to 3rd on the depth chart after the season opener against South Dakota State, but eventually returned to the backup role. If you did the math, he had .5 sacks and .5 tackles for loss.

Both are very gifted athletes that have the potential to be very good, and maybe even better than their predecessors. The focus of the offensive line will be to contain the interior and we’ll talk about them tomorrow, but there is no question that both Harris and Loud will be counted on much more in 2015.

Dec 6, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Blake Sims (6) throws a pass as Missouri Tigers defensive lineman Marcus Loud (35) defends in the third quarter of the 2014 SEC Championship at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

The latest depth chart tells us that Harris will be backed up by redshirt freshman Spencer Williams. Fellow redshirt freshmen Rocel McWilliams and Walter Brady are behind Loud for his spot.

First off, I think it would be really cool to have a pass rushing tandem of Williams and McWilliams, and eventually I’ll think of a cool name for the duo. There really isn’t a whole lot to go off with these two other than their highlight tapes.

Williams looks like he could be right in line as the next pass rushing stud at 6-foot-3 245 pounds, but looked a little raw. McWilliams looked like more of an immediate contributor at 6-foot-2 240 pounds, though his ceiling may not be as high. Either way, it’s been over a year since they played their final high school game and likely are much more fundamentally sound and ready to play.

Brady is in a different situation than the other freshmen; after some eligibility concern he was not allowed to practice with the team this past year. He is now cleared to practice and play after sitting out the past year. I look for him to make some plays in the limited time he’s on the field with his high motor.

Harris and Loud will get the majority of snaps in 2015, but I think d-line coach Craig Kuligowski will have a deep rotation that will get these redshirt freshmen on the field quite a bit. Unless of course those two have Golden and Ray-type production, then they’ll almost never leave the field.

Though the stardom of the d-line, as of right now, has shifted to the interior, defensive end will be a major contributor to the growing national brand that is #DLineZOU.

More from Truman's Tales

Home/Football