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Opening Night 2007
Lindenwood vs. MidAmerica Nazarene
Sept. 1, 2007 - Lindenwood University Stadium
St. Charles, MO
St. Charles County Youth Football Night
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A pair of Heart of America Athletic Conference
(HAAC) teams with title aspirations will hook up this Saturday evening in St. Charles, as MidAmerica Nazarene and Lindenwood tee it up to start the 2007 Heart schedule.
No team in the HAAC has won more games over the last three seasons than MNU or LU—the Pioneers hold a slim one-game advantage over the Lions during that span with a league mark of 23-7. Included in that record, though, are two losses to the Lions, and LU can even the overall chart with a huge season-opening win on Saturday.
The Pioneers, led by second-year head coach Jed Stugart, opened the campaign last weekend, inflicting a 59-38 frontal mouth wound on Azusa Pacific in the first annual VSN Classic in Platte City, Mo. - while posting over 600 yards in total offense.
The MNU offense was particularly impressive, showing big play ability in the passing game and some tough ground work by transfer running backs Patrick Ealy and Kendall Addison. The defense, though, was not as breathtaking, and the Lions will hope to exploit the openings they saw in the Pioneers’ 4-2 scheme tonight.
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The Lions and fourth-year head coach Patrick Ross open the 2007 season with two things in abundance: new faces and optimism. A nearly complete makeover of the offensive unit has been undertaken over the last eight months, with only three starters back in their role from last year—junior QB Ben Kisner withstood a stiff challenge from junior transfer Steve Payne to retain his spot behind the center—along with sophomore center Jeff Hynes and senior tailback Hakeem Abdullah.
Now for the good news—new offensive coordinator Shawn Jackson has new blood up front to work with, three of them being junior transfers (LeShawn Newberry, Carlos Chang and Manny Gomez). The other good-as-new hog is senior Dustin Ostmann, who missed last season with a leg injury. A trio of tailbacks will see action tonight, led by the talented Abdullah, who led the Lions in rushing last fall with 899 yards, while leading the HAAC in yards per carry at 6.0 per tote. Junior Leonard Durant has shed his star-in-waiting label with a dazzling fall camp, and he should be set for an outstanding season.
The wideout corps has also been rebuilt, with senior Dominic Peterson and junior Austin Bortle shining in both the spring and fall workouts. Redshirt junior Brent Hodgkiss has remade himself into a solid receiver after beginning his LU career as a quarterback. The Lions also have a stable full of good rookie receivers, including converted running backs Mike Bunton (Parkway North) and Ricky McDermott (Boca Raton, Fla.), ready to step in and make a name for themselves … starting Saturday against one of the top NAIA programs in the country.
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| Lindenwood junior linebacker Logen Wright (6'3, 224) was a first team All-HAAC selection last season, when he led the Lions in tackles |
To slow down the Pioneer’s high octane offensive group this evening, LU defensive coordinator Shawn Nagel will look for his old friend—upfield pressure from the front seven—to come back with a vengeance. That front seven has looked very strong in the opening weeks, anchored by an eight-deep linebacking corps. Juniors Logen Wright and Quran Barge (a transfer from Mizzou) will start on the inside, with athletic juniors Bruce White and Jamil Abdullah on the outside. Up front, a down lineman trio of seniors Jeremy Coley (6’5, 240) and Brian Schaefering (6’5, 292), along with junior Billy Ray Uren (6’5, 244), could be as formidable as any in the country, if they can stay healthy all season and wreak havoc.
Much of the secondary has been rebuilt for the Lions, as well. Two new cornerbacks (junior transfers Mark Marquez and Thomas Christian) will start the game on Saturday, with senior Larry Gladney and sophomore Brandon Gould in line for minutes. At safety, fifth-year senior Jared Shoemaker and junior transfer Scott Burton will take over for two graduated seniors from 2006.
Coach Ross is excited about the state of his special teams units heading into the season—senior punter Zac Atterberry was named a preseason NAIA All-American by Street and Smith’s , and sophomore place kicker Halley Ferrell should be among the Heart’s best point producers over the next three seasons. Durant and the speedy freshman, McDermott, will give the Lions an exciting return tandem on kickoff returns, and Gould—once a wizard with ball as a high school quarterback—will provide some excitement when he catches the ball on punt returns.
A college football season is a marathon, not a sprint … but, there is no disputing that this conference opener is a big one for both teams. MidAmerica got off to a rousing start last week, but their stable of fast guys on offense will see a different animal on defense Saturday night. This is a hungry Lindenwood team, somewhat in contrast to the groups which have started the last two seasons with such high expectations that a Super Bowl win might not have been enough. The atmosphere around the Lions this fall has been much like 2004, when no one knew if they’d be good or just OK … and that undefeated Heart champion did quite well.
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