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Preseason HAAC favorites to meet in battle to stay alive
Lindenwood vs. Evangel
Oct. 7, 2006 - Lindenwood University Stadium
Saint Charles, MO

Back in the summer time, before inexperience, injuries and a small dose of reality combined to bring things back into perspective, the two teams on the field Saturday afternoon at LU Stadium were picked to finish 1-2 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference title chase.

In some other parallel universe, Lindenwood vs. Evangel is probably still the Game of the Year in the HAAC—but that would be a place where playing freshmen in key spots doesn’t come back to haunt you, and where injuries to key personnel are overcome by wishing them away.

Back here in the real world, both Lion coach Patrick Ross and Evangel mentor Scott Metcalf know better, after watching their highly-touted teams each pick up a pair of league losses in the first half of the Heart’s 10-game round robin schedule. Both teams have certainly played well at times—the Lions’ dismantling of 8th-ranked Graceland two weeks ago, and Evangel’s complete shutdown of Baker, for example—but those demons mentioned above, particularly heinous when matched together, have been tough to overcome at other times.

So they arrive here this afternoon, two teams at a crossroads. A win today for either team keeps them on the periphery of the Heart title race, albeit still in need of much help from the football gods and a fall from grace by Missouri Valley. The loser goes home tonight, basically, in rebuilding mode for 2007, with an eye on finishing above .500 with their young crew this season.

Metcalf’s team started out slowly, after winning the HAAC in 2005, with close losses to Valley at home and MidAmerica Nazarene on the road, before rebounding to win their last three.

The Crusaders have some of the top offensive weapons in the Heart in their huddle, including standout junior quarterback Derek Rasmussen and junior tailback Shedrick McClinton. Where Evangel has showed some growing pains with new personnel is on the defensive side—that matchup against the young LU offense will see many folks in their first year of college football butting heads this afternoon.

The Lions have been maddeningly inconsistent on both sides of ball in 2006, and that inconsistency breeds frustration. It will not be a group of Lions in any mood to be hospitable to their guests here this afternoon, and as might be expected from a team which has yet reach its maturity, the Lions have been much better at home than on the road. Still, it comes down to execution, and the Lions have not been doing that on any kind of ongoing basis over the season’s first half, regardless of wins and losses.

Metcalf was the HAAC Coach of the Year last season, and Ross won that award in 2004, in addition to the Schutte Sports NAIA National Coach of the Year award … which means it is highly unlikely that either of these extremely bright young coaches suddenly doesn’t know football. More likely: the preseason expectations for both teams were out of line with reality, considering their youth, and in college football, it simply comes down to this every year … are you winning your close games?5

Reverse the Crusaders' two close losses to Valley and MNU, and they’re 5-0, ranked in the top five, and being hailed as a dynasty. The Lions have lost to Northwest Oklahoma by one, Jewell by three in final moments, and a beastly Georgetown (Ky.) team by 10. Even if they had only won the two really close ones, the Lions would be 3-1 in the league, and 4-2 overall. But like they say, were ifs and buts candies and nuts, the season would be tasting much better.

In the end, it comes down to players making plays, and whichever team competes with the most precision and toughness usually wins. College football is a “do-good” level, not a “try-hard” level—guys like Ben Kisner, Rasmussen, Marcus Klund and McClinton simply have to make plays for their respective teams to get over the hump and win those close games ... not almost win them.

Lion junior offensive tackle Dominic Edwards (71) was a 1st team All-HAAC pick last fall, and he's been playing at an All-American level for the young LU offense in 2006.

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