The most admirable play of Saturday’s 49-24 drubbing of Toledo might have happened on a touchdown… for Toledo.

Rockets running back Kareem Hunt took a handoff and darted 38 yards up the middle to the end zone, an exciting run. Even more impressive, however, was the man in pursuit.

Missouri senior defensive end Markus Golden was hot on Hunt’s trail all the way, and tracked him down just as the ball crossed the plane. Not a cornerback, not a safety, not even a linebacker, but a defensive lineman managed to stick with one of the most explosive backs in college football.

“That pursuit says a lot about him,” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said. “That’s a captain, that’s competitiveness, that’s leadership. It has a huge influence on the rest of your team.”

Golden didn’t think as much of it.

“When somebody’s running with the ball, that’s what I’m supposed to do,” he said. “50-yarder, five-yarder, that’s my job and that’s football.”

Golden’s counterpart, junior defensive end Shane Ray, concurred.

“No matter how far a guy is down the field, we’re taught to go after the ball,” he said. “Markus was just doing what’s expected of him.”

Golden and Ray have started the season on a tear. The duo has combined for 8.5 of Mizzou’s 14 tackles for loss and 5.5 of the team’s six sacks.

There was hype around the duo during training camp, and their performances are impressive. Pinkel said he knew how good his defensive ends were even before they became starters.

“I had an NFL scout come in and say (Kony Ealy and Michael Sam) are pretty good, but those two behind them (Golden and Ray) might be better,” Pinkel said.

He added: “Don’t tell Kony and Michael I said that.”

Against Toledo, Golden totaled 10 tackles and three tackles for loss. Both marks set new career highs. Ray also had a career outing, picking up his first-ever multi-sack game.

“Last week, I understand, was a good game for me,” Ray said. “But personally, I’m not satisfied. I have a hunger and I want to continue to see how far I can push myself.”

That motor of Ray and Golden’s is exactly what Pinkel and his coaching staff preach on defense.

“They are both great competitors,” Pinkel said. “They both flat-out get after it. It’s certainly great to have guys like that on your defense.”

Part of the duo’s success against Toledo may have come from picking up the snap count pattern of Toledo backup quarterback Logan Woodside, who had replaced an injured Phillip Ely. Golden said Woodside clapping — a signal to the Toledo center that he was ready for the ball — was one reason why he was jumping off the line with such speed.

“Any time you can get an advantage in football, you take it,” Golden said. “(Woodside’s) clapping was my advantage.”

Although they will be facing a difficult task next Saturday against Central Florida, Ray said he believes the defense is up to the challenge of facing a two-quarterback system.

“We want to be the aggressor every game,” Ray said. “The competitive mind we have is seen on game day.”