HOOVER, Ala. — Is a changing of the guard taking place at DL-Zou?

Not exactly according to senior cornerback Kenya Dennis.

He expects the Tigers’ secondary to be one of the SEC’s best this season despite Mizzou’s personnel losses up front which directly affects production at the back end. Losing two star pass rushers to the NFL and All-American candidate Harold Brantley to a season-ending injury in June brings questions heading into fall practice.

“I feel like we don’t get enough credit, but our defensive line does a really, really good job at what they do and they’ve been the stand out position group on our defense the last couple years,” Dennis said at SEC Media Days. “I feel like they do a good job at what they do and they deserve … it should be d-line Zou.”

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Dennis assumes the role of veteran leader in a secondary replacing only one starter, leading tackler Braylon Webb at safety. Aarion Penton is back at the other corner spot along with free safety Ian Simon to provide stability at the back end.

Mizzou’s secondary gave up 212.7 yards per game last fall, sixth-best in the SEC.

“We have chemistry and we’ve played together a lot,” Dennis said. “I feel like we’re going to be a group that the defense leans on.”

The noticeable improvement was due in large part to Shane Ray and Markus Golden’s constant pressure up front, a pass-rushing tandem that combined for a league-best 24 sacks and 44.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

The dismissal of defensive end Marcus Loud in May left the Tigers thin on proven edge rushers and Brantley’s unfortunate accident eliminated a dominant presence in the middle.

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Which player will become the focal point along the defensive line this season?

“I would say Charles Harris,” Dennis said. “He’s doing a really great job for us. He works hard every day and gets the guys going. I really see him picking up a lot where Harold left off before the accident.”

Judging by the Tigers’ preseason No. 3 placement in the Eastern Division, most are expecting Mizzou to take a step back defensively after defensive coordinator Dave Steckel’s exit to Missouri State.

Dennis isn’t buying that notion.

Following a dominant spring under new assistant Barry Odom, who previously worked with the Tigers’ safeties under Gary Pinkel, he says his unit’s production could be even better.

“Odom’s a guy that is very smart and loves to be around the game,” Dennis said. “I don’t see us missing a beat with him coming in. I only see us getting more aggressive.”