A much-anticipated 2005 football season opens for Lindenwood University this Saturday afternoon in Canton, Mo., as the 7th-ranked Lions take on Culver-Stockton College to open Heart of America Athletic Conference play.

The Wildcats will be opening the Christian Guenther Era in Canton, as the young C-SC head coach will be taking the sideline for the first time. His team faces a Lion squad that is equal parts loaded, experienced, and hungry - and riding an 11-game HAAC winning streak.

Led by dazzling senior tailback De De Dorsey, the reigning HAAC Most Valuable Player, the Lions will feature as many as five legitimate All-American candidates on defense, one of the nation's top receiving duos in senior George Mumphard and junior Steven Kennedy, and the 2004 Schutte Sports NAIA National Coach of the Year in Patrick Ross.

The Lions may indeed be stronger than last season, when they went 11-1 and ran the table in the Heart, but one thing is certain - LU won't be sneaking up on anyone this time around. Road games are always potential traps, and the trip to Culver could be tougher than some might think. The Wildcats played very well on defense in 2004, giving the Lions fits for three quarters in a 24-3 game last October in St. Charles.

Guenther and his staff have three aces to build around on defense - senior defensive lineman Pat Kremer, senior safety Lavontase Strickland, and junior defensive end Octavious Thompson. All three should be among the top game plan wreckers in the Heart this fall, and the Lions are going to have to account for them on each snap.

Lindenwood, though, has some weapons on offense. Actually, that's like saying Albert Pujols can hit a fastball - the Lions will have playmakers standing in all corners of the huddle on Saturday. Dorsey has become something of a phenomenon within NFL scouting circles this fall, with as many as three and four scouts in attendance at many of LU's preseason practices. He has been electric in the early going, snapping off a 79-yard TD run in the Washington University scrimmage last weekend, and he could set records of the unbreakable variety this fall.

To go along with Dorsey, the Lions can get the rock to All-American candidates Mumphard and Kennedy, two-way star Bobby Mason, who will also start at cornerback on defense, rock-hard fullback Chris Simmons, or star freshman tailback Leonard Durant. The offensive line is improved all the way across the front, particularly on the left side, where juniors Dominic Edwards and Dustin Ostmann have been outstanding so far in 2005.

The LU quarterback position has been the topic of much discussion in preseason, and it looks like two Lion signal-callers will play in the opener at Culver. Multi-skilled sophomore Brent Hodgkiss came out of the spring as the top guy, and he has held on to that spot, despite a strong push from fall transfer Gerry Connell, a strong-armed sophomore from Florida. Both are talented, both lack game experience, and both will be surrounded by talent when they're in there - it will be very interesting in the coming weeks to see if one separates himself and grabs the position by the throat.

Senior tailback De De Dorsey

The matchup that figures to be the toughest for the young Wildcats is the C-SC offense squaring off against the swarming LU defense. The Lions were relentless in 2004, leading the Heart in every significant defensive category, and that unit returns virtually intact this fall.

The linebacking corps was already ridiculous, and that group has been bolstered by the addition of two hugely talented redshirt freshmen in 6'1, 220-lb. Scott Symons and 6'1, 207-lb. Eric Heyde. They're both blazers, and they're a nice compliment to bangers like sernior All-American candidates Dino Morales (a monster in preseason), Jake Sharp (slightly dinged but ready to tee it up this weekend), and Evan Brinker (steady as always and able to play inside or outside). When injured junior Mike Martin comes back, and star freshman Logen Wright develops, this will be the best unit in the nation.

Up front, the Lions are strong and deep, as well. Senior end Mike Sullivan is among the best down linemen in the NAIA, and he's complimented by A-gap eater David Gladney inside. Junior Tony Ete'aki and redshirt freshman Gavlin Henderson will provide pressure from the other edge.

In the secondary, stellar junior Marcus Klund has been joined by one of the NAIA's top sophomores - All-American return specialist Mason will also see time at wideout, but he has been very impressive at corner, picking off a pass in last week's scrimmage. Junior Josh Roberts, senior Albert Griffin and sophomore Larry Gladney will be in the mix on Saturday at the other secondary spots.

Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m., at Poulson-Ellison Stadium in Canton.

Senior DE Mike Sullivan in scrimmage action last Friday night

Lion head Patrick Ross