Entering second year, LU's Smith

remains optimistic about future

April 13, 2018

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.--- There's one main goal for every college football team --- from the Alabama Crimson Tide to the Lincoln Blue Tigers --- in every spring scrimmage.

Don't get hurt.

The similarities end there.
While schools like Alabama and Clemson are putting another coat of polish on a basically-finished product, teams like Lincoln and Kansas are looking for an identity, a plan, and for players who can help make their teams relevant on Saturdays this fall.

"We've had ups this spring, we've had some downs, but everything's been going pretty good," said second-year Lincoln coach Steven Smith, whose team will conclude spring workouts with the annual Blue and White scrimmage at 2 p.m. Saturday at Dwight T. Reed Stadium.

"We still have a long way to go, but I'm seeing some improvement. Both sides of the ball have been very competitive and I've been pleased with the physicality of the team. Now, I want us to become mentally strong and not make the mistakes on Saturday.

"Hopefully, we'll put on a good show.

There's a lot at stake Saturday, which starts with an 11 a.m. tailgate on the softball field parking lot.

More accurately, there's a lot at steak.

"We're calling this the steak and hot dog game --- the winners get steaks and the losers get hot dogs," Smith said of the Offense vs. Defense workout. "And I don't think anybody wants a hot dog ... I think it's going to be really interesting to see how it plays out."

Smith had lofty --- if not unrealistic --- expectations in his first year. He talked about winning a national championship at a school that hasn't even had a winning season since 1972.

No national championship. Instead, Blue Tigers won one game and finished 1-9. But the community support, Smith said, has not wavered.

"In fact, it's stronger this year than it was last year," he said. "Last year, I think the community was not as hard on the team as I was, on both myself and the team. They understand Rome wasn't built in a day, I didn't.

"I understand that now."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

CURRENTLY, MOBERLY'S DRAKE DAVIDSON (6-1, 210), a sophomore, is listed No. 1 on the depth chart at quarterback, while sophomore Henry Ogala (6-3, 200) is close behind.

Davidson completed 71-of-139 passes last year for only 459 yards, with no touchdowns and nine interceptions, while Ogala was 27-of-49 for 354 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.

"Both of those guys are showing some good things," Smith said. "I'm not asking them to win the game, they just need to manage the game, not turn the ball over, make good decisions and get the ball in the playmakers' hands."

To put it nicely, those quarterback numbers aren't good. But the entire offense struggled --- out of 168 Division II schools, the Blue Tigers ranked 158th in rushing offense and 162nd in total offense.

The major problem was offensive line.

"Our offensive line is young ... we have a bunch of redshirt freshmen and sophomores," Smith said."But they're playing smarter, that's the biggest thing."

There are 13 players from this year's recruiting class who have already joined the team, including offensive linemen Jacobi Cratic (6-7, 315) and Dakota Cox (6-6, 330), who are fighting for starting roles.

"We've got a lot of competition on the O-line," Smith said, "and that's a good thing. Offensively, we don't want to turn the ball over on Saturday, we want to establish a running game and show we can move the ball.

"Defensively, I want to see them play hard and fly to the ball, cause turnovers and be competitive when the ball's in the air."

The latter screams out at you, because the Blue Tigers had ZERO interceptions last season, the only D-II team to pull off that feat. You'd think by accident alone, you'd have one or two interceptions in 10 games.

That was a big factor in Lincoln's staggering minus-21 turnover margin, which was the second-worst in the nation. Smith said senior linebackers Amani Nelson and Victor Williams have both "really stepped it up" this spring, and the defense seems to be ahead of the offense right now.

"We have a lot more veterans, especially on defense," he said.

Ever the optimist, Smith insists the Blue Tigers are headed in the right direction.

"I see the progress, now that progress needs to turn into W's," he said. "We're seeing some guys who were average to okay last year who are playing 10 times better than they did last season.

"But the big thing I've seen is that they're asking, they want to know, what it's going to take to be successful. It's one thing for me and my staff to want to be successful, but they've got to want it, too. It's got to be important to them and I'm seeing that want from the players. Now, they need to continue that drive, continue that burn, and have that hate-to-lose attitude and not just liking to win.

"If they want it bad enough, they'll find a way to get it done."

Lincoln quarterbacks Henry Ogala (11), Drake Davidson (12) and Devin Coleman Jr. (18) run through drills during a recent workout at Dwight T. Reed Stadium.

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Photo courtesy of @BlueTigerFball