The official opening day of football practice started in the rain as the Lincoln Cardinals braved the elements in preparing for the start of the 2024 season.
The Lincoln Cardinals struggled with numbers and injuries last season. They forfeited in the last quarter against Crest Ridge last season due to injuries and were left with just ten healthy players. Lincoln ended their season with a disappointing 3-7 final record. Cardinals head coach Brad Drehle is hoping for a huge turnaround this season, but obstacles may stand in their way.
Hopefully, this season will have a different story than last year. They hope to have 21 players on board for their first game.
Anthony (Bug) Srader, the Cardinals' highly touted running back, is out for the season. Also, Dawson Parrott, their do-everything player, will miss a couple of games due to a summer injury playing baseball.
Lincoln returns 11 starters, after having no seniors on the roster last season. The highly regarded junior class has been injury prone, to say the least.
Riley Sanders, who missed two games at quarterback, tacked on 17 TD's and accumulated 1,173 total yards. His replacement, the aforementioned Parrott, ran wild at QB. Together, they are an amazing duo.
Two sleeper players need to step up. Brayden Benham and Matthew Cook. Benham may be those guys. Both can do anything they want on the gridiron. Cook should bolster a line that already inicludes two 6'4" players in Myles Harms and Ben Eckhoff. Isacc Komm and Ashton Maasen will make their presence known in the trenches in a good way as well.
Senior Cam Everhart is another huge key in the Cardinals Big Red machine. He should play several positions and provide leadership for the younger players. Look for him to be their bone crushing linebacker.
Chase Young is pure speed and could be used in several fashions. If he catches the ball in an open field, he could be gone.
Honestly, with Srader and Parrott healthy, they could be a final four team in the making. So it falls on Sanders to stay healthy and run the show. Lincoln legend Connor Lynde handed him the torch two years ago. Lynde and Kaleb Mundy won district titles in football, baseball and basketball their senior year as the only two Lincoln players to ever do so. Sanders is capable of doing the same. He can pass and run the ball as well as most players in the area.
Another big key is having enough experienced players on the bench to spell the starters for a breather.
Lincoln added far away Willow Springs to the home schedule for their week one contest. Adrian and Butler will be huge tests as the season progresses.
Lincoln has a new weight room, a new parking lot and a beautiful new gym. A lot of community pride has gone into the transformation and to assist the program.
