By Chris Parker
Lincoln football has high expectations coming off a 6-3 season. The Cardinals return 10 offensive and eight defensive starters this season.
Among those 18 combined returning starters are six returning all-conference players.
Connor Lynde will run the offense in his senior season. He took over the starting quarterback job in Week 3 last year due to an injury. He threw for 732 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 475 yards and six touchdowns. Lynde also returned kicks with 11 returned for 328 yards and a touchdown.
Ross Johnson will do a lot of the heavy lifting in the run game. The senior carried the ball 205 times for 1,305 yards and 19 touchdowns last year. He will be a three-year starter.
Up front, five senior offensive linemen return led by all-conference selections Jacob Plumb and Christian White. Dallas Drake, Ely Tolliver and Steven Kranz round out the returning offensive linemen. All five are three-year starters.
Seniors Darren Roberts, Kaleb Mundy, Mack Hesse and Kyle Eckhoff will comprise the receiving corps. Hesse led that group with 19 catches for 242 yards and two touchdowns last year. Roberts hauled in eight catches for 143 yards and a touchdown.
“The strength of this group will be experience,” Lincoln head coach Brad Drehle said. “They have grown both physically and mentally and excited and ready for the season.”
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Defensively, Ross Johnson will be in the center of things as well. He had 87 tackles, two sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery at linebacker last year. Hesse and sophomore Camden Everhardt will join Johnson at linebacker. Everhardt had 65 total tackles and two sacks as a freshman. Hesse contributed 45 tackles and three sacks last year.
Up front, Kranz, White, Tolliver and Plumb will be on the defensive line. Kranz had 18 tackles and one sack last year. White led that group with 30 tackles and three sacks as a junior. Toliver had 25 tackles and two sacks while Plumb contributed 15 tackles.
The secondary will feature Eckhoff, Mundy, Roberts, Lynde, Xavier Smith (junior) and Chase Young (sophomore). Lynde led this unit with 68 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions, five pass breakups and two fumble recoveries last year. Eckhoff added in 52 tackles, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and blocked punt.
“We are looking for Ross, Mack, Kyle to become our leaders,” Drehle said. “They are physical and strong and we will look to them to set the tone.”
Lincoln will host Sherwood, Cass-Midway, Adrian, Butler, Hogan Prep and University Academy for a Jamboree on Aug. 19.
The Cardinals open the regular season on Aug. 26 at Lone Jack.
