Shane Ray. Markus Golden. Lucas Vincent. Marcus Loud. And now potential All-American Harold Brantley.

Monday’s devastating news of Brantley’s serious injuries sustained over the weekend following a car accident brings his status for 2015 season into question, the latest skilled pass rusher defensive line coach Craig Kuligowski no longer has at his disposal.

Obviously Brantley’s well-being is vastly more important than Mizzou’s projected production up front this fall and our prayers are being sent his way, but at some point, the Tigers will have to face reality and move on to Plan B, prepping for a season potentially without their top returning player.

No team in the SEC has been effected by personnel losses in the trenches on defense as much as the two-time defending champs, a group that’s accumulated 83 sacks over its last 28 games.

Seldom an issue, depth is now a primary concern but luckily for the Tigers, several players stepped up during the spring including Josh Augusta and A.J. Logan. There’s also a five-star incoming freshman in Terry Beckner who now becomes a featured performer within the front seven, thrown into the fire perhaps earlier than expected.

Prior to Brantley’s injuries, Mizzou felt it could absorb the post-spring dismissal of Loud up front, but the situation has become complicated.

For first-year defensive coordinator Barry Odom, who is now in charge of ‘D-Line U’ in the SEC, the Tigers’ personnel to begin fall camp will look considerably different. Rickey Hatley and Augusta rotated at defensive tackle in the spring, competing for the other starting job at tackle alongside Brantley in Mizzou’s 4-3.

Brantley on the mend throws a wrench in the Tigers’ rotation and means Logan, Brantley’s primary backup last season, should see more meaningful snaps. But most expect Beckner to step in and play from Day 1, whether that’s at nose or end. It’s not an ideal situation to rush a true freshman at the line of scrimmage in college football’s most competitive league, but Mizzou may have no other option at this point.

Beckner’s best-suited as a three-technique tackle or strongside end at 6-foot-4, just under 300 pounds. And the Tigers are hoping the acclimation period is solved over fall practice for the summer enrollee.

At Memphis, Odom’s linebackers played a vital role in his 3-4 look, notably at the weakside spot where he normally used a linebacker off the edge instead of a true defensive end. Don’t expect the Tigers to move away from their 4-3 base, but Odom could take advantage of a player like Kentrell Brothers as a pass rusher since Mizzou’s thin on proven talent.

Redshirt sophomore Charles Harris’ role should increase drastically at strongside end without Loud. He led all players with 3.5 sacks during the spring and proved to be an early asset to the program after playing in all 14 games last season.

Newcomer Marcell Frazier, a JUCO transfer who was initially ruled ineligible at Mizzou in 2013, has tremendous pressure on his shoulders to come in and contribute immediately. Frazier recently told KTGR that he’d like to play at 250 pounds, meaning the Tigers could utilize the athletic pass rusher’s talents at end or outside linebacker.