Spring Preview: Defensive End
Missouri will open its second spring under Barry Odom next month. Over the next week, we preview spring ball position by position on defense. Today, we look at the defensive ends.
SPRING FOOTBALL 2017: DEFENSIVE END
THE STARTERS: With Charles Harris gone, Marcell Frazier assumes the spot as lead dog at the position Missouri has become known for over the last decade. Frazier put together a strong season despite limited playing time a year ago. He finished with 7.5 sacks, 8.5 TFL, two pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. The starter on the other side could be Jordan Harold, Spencer Williams or Nate Howard entering spring drills.
THE BACKUPS: The two that don't nab the other starting spot between Harold, Howard and Williams will be in the mix for a backup role along with Tre Williams, who redshirted last season. While the Tigers may not enter spring with a proven star, they do have five players who should see time next season, four of whom have previous experience.
Potential Storylines: The biggest one is who starts opposite Frazier. Missouri has a lot of guys, but will look for one or two to step up and separate himself from the pack. The only other question may be, what scheme are these guys playing in? With the hire of Brian Odom to coach outside linebackers, many are speculating we could see Mizzou run much more 3-4 defense, which would change the dynamic on the defensive front.
Spring Prediction: Look for Howard to overcome whatever held him back in 2016 and grab the starting job coming out of spring football. We'd put our guess on Tre Williams having a strong spring and winning a No. 2 spot as well.
Help on the Way: High schooler Chris Turner and juco transfer Nate Anderson will be on campus in the summer and add depth. Look for Anderson to play right away, giving Missouri a complete three-deep at defensive end and Turner to spend a year in the weight room redshirting.