The Missouri Tigers were delivered a big blow Wednesday morning when it was revealed that defensive linemen Harold Brantley and Walter Brady are no longer with the team.

Brantley was declared academically ineligible and Brady was dismissed for violating team policy.

Though Brantley missed last season while recovering from a car accident, he had a strong 2014 campaign and was going to be a big part of Mizzou’s 2016 plans.

Their absence will leave a lot of production that other Tigers will need to fill:

The Missouri defense was supposed to be the strength this year, but losing Brantley and Brady will make it that much harder for the Tigers to slow down opposing offenses.

How will this affect the Tigers?

First, it’s important to note that Mizzou still has second-team All-SEC DE Charles Harris and potential breakout star DT Terry Beckner Jr. Both are among Saturday Down South’s ranking of the SEC’s top 10 defensive linemen for 2016.

Having those two making plays will help whomever replaces Brantley and Brady by ensuring they usually are only going against one blocker.

Harris will continue doing what he does on the outside, making quarterbacks uncomfortable as linemen fail to stop Harris’s spin move. The redshirt junior racked up seven sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss in 2015 and, if he can stay healthy, could surpass both numbers in 2016. (He and Brady tied for the team lead in sacks last season.)

Beckner, meanwhile, will look to improve on his first-team Freshman All-American selection. In 2015, he amassed 27 tackles (8.5 for a loss) and three sacks.

But, in the immortal words of Billy Madison, “It takes more than two to tango, or somethin’ like that.” So, while having Beckner and Harris is a good start, the Tigers will need others to suddenly help fill the unexpected void.

Who steps up?

The biggest player, both in size and importance, who needs to step up is senior DT Josh Augusta. The 6-foot-4, 345-pound tackle started all 12 games in 2015, recording 27 tackles.

He’ll need to be on the field more often and make more of an impact to make up for Brantley’s absence.

Another lineman to keep an eye on is redshirt senior Rickey Hatley. Hatley played in 11 games last season, recording 27 tackles and three sacks.

Among the leading candidates to replace Brady at defensive end is redshirt junior Marcell Frazier. Frazier (below) played well in limited action last season.

Though he recorded only eight tackles, six went for a loss. He also had two sacks and forced a fumble.

Nov 14, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive lineman Marcell Frazier (16) causes Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Tanner Mangum (12) to fumble during the second half at Arrowhead Stadium. Missouri won 20-16. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

With defenses keying in on Harris, Frazier could have room to flourish in an expanded role for the Tigers.

Can the Tigers survive?

Defensive line play has been Mizzou’s strength in recent years. So, though the loss of Brantley and Brady will hurt, they’re in a decent position in terms of depth.

However, we won’t know for sure how much the absences will affect Mizzou until the season starts.

The Tigers open at West Virginia, a high-powered Big 12 team that averaged 34 points and nearly 500 yards per game on offense in 2015.

If Mizzou can slow down the Mountaineers, it’ll be a good sign for the rest of the 2016 season. If West Virginia scores at will, Tigers fans could be in for an even worse record than last year’s 5-7 mark.