Back-to-back Eastern Division championships have started up front for Mizzou, so how does Gary Pinkel’s group win a third title without elite pass rushers Shane Ray and Markus Golden in 2015?

Craig Kuligowski and talent development.

Known for getting the most out of his players, the SEC’s most underrated position coach is a longtime assistant for the Tigers who has led a unit with jaw-dropping raw numbers — SEC-high 79.5 sacks — over the past two seasons. For the most part, Kuligowski’s front four has controlled the line of scrimmage against league competition, one of the reasons Mizzou is tied with Alabama for the most wins in the SEC since 2013 (23).

Replacing consecutive consensus All-Americans in the trenches (Michael Sam, Ray) is a less-than-desirable task, but the Tigers appear to have enough talent returning to approach the production the program has averaged during its short stint in the SEC.

Draft-eligible tackle Harold Brantley’s decision to return marks a tremendous boost in the interior, a highly-skilled two-gap rusher with natural athletic ability. Pinkel has compared the swift-footed 300-pounder to former Mizzou run-stopper Sheldon Richardson, the New York Jets’ 2013 rookie of the year.

That’s high praise for a surprisingly dynamic special teams player who has also lobbied for a spot in Mizzou’s third-and-short packages on offense.

The next up-and-coming star who is a bit of a hybrid defender could be Marcus Loud, a rising redshirt sophomore no longer stuck in Golden’s shadow off the edge. The Texas native should have a chance to earn the starting spot outright during spring practice over Rickey Hatley, a player who was seen in a more favorable light by Mizzou’s defensive assistants during the 2014 campaign.

Hatley’s better suited on the interior, alongside expected true freshman sensation Terry Beckner Jr. if the Tigers can lure the five-star Mizzou lean away from other SEC potential suitors on signing day.

The battle for Ray’s replacement at the other end position won’t be as competitive. Charles Harris, who played sparingly last fall but managed 19 tackles and a pair of sacks, appears to be locked in to start.

Kuligowski, with input from Pinkel and new DC Barry Odom, will be the puppeteer on a defense replacing five starters including three up front. His ability to tinker with lineup and find combinations that work is why he’s one of the SEC’s best.