After a record setting season that saw the Lindenwood football team make it all the way to the national championship game, the Lions are in the middle of preparations for another run towards a championship. The team began spring practice earlier this month and will have its Spring Game on April 29 at 7 p.m. at Hunter Stadium.

“Our football team is especially excited about spring ball this year,” said head coach Patrick Ross. “We have a lot of work to do. If you were to look at the names of the guys who completed their eligibility last season, you will notice that we will lose some of the best players to ever wear a Lion uniform.”

A season ago, the Lindenwood offense was one of the best in all of the NAIA. The offense averaged 492.4 yards a game to go along with a school record of 744 points.

The leader of the offense, quarterback Philip Staback, will be back to try and improve on an unbelievable season in which he throw for 3,381 yards and 36 touchdowns, the latter which set a school record. Standing in the backfield with Staback will once again be HAAC Player of the Year Denodus O'Bryant. After exploding onto the scene last year, the sophomore will be the main focus of every defensive coordinator in 2010.

Helping take some of the load off of O'Bryant will be LeMarien Parson and Nate Orlando who each had stellar 2009 seasons carrying the football.

Paving the way for the offense will be one of the best offensive lines in the conference. Billy Clark and Dan Jones will be back to anchor the line in 2010 but the unit will have to replace two-time All-American center, Jeff Hynes.

One newcomer to the Lions, well new this year, is offensive lineman Justin Callaway. The former Lindenwood lineman transferred to Northwest Missouri State a year ago, won a NCAA Division II National Championship, and now is back to try and help the Lions win their first NAIA championship.

There are not many question marks going into spring practice for the Lions but one will be who steps up at wide receiver. Departing will be seniors, Marcel Thompson, Roren Thomas and Rudy Fleming. The threesome combined for 2,233 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns.

Even though the corps has lost over 53% of their receiving yards, the cupboard isn't bare. One constant from a season ago that will still be around is Matt Bramow, who led the team in receiving touchdowns with 12. Stepping in and playing a larger role will be Matt Angell, who caught five touchdowns a season ago. Andrew Helmick, Terance Jackson and Mike Covington will also see the field more in 2010.

During the playoff run to the National Championship game, the Lindenwood defense really started to hit its stride. Against Sioux Falls in the final game of the season the defense held one of the top offenses in the country to only 376 yards, which was 120 yards under its average, and over 26 points under its season scoring average.

There will be a couple key cogs to the Lindenwood defense that will need to be replaced. All-Conference performers Brandon Gould and Logan Wright have departed and leave big holes at their positions.

Stepping in to help fill the gap at linebacker for Wright will be leading tackler from 2009, Parks Peterson, plus Blake Conreaux and Dan Carlisle. .

If there is a spot on the defense that was hit hard by graduation it would be the defensive line. All three defensive line starters Alvin Davie, TJ Prell and Chidi Oteh have graduated and some young linemen will have to step up. A pair of sophomores Kellen Dryer and Joseph Hanks will be two that will see extended playing time.

The secondary loses Gould and Adarrious Ross, but will return sophomore Cody Fogle, James Wofford and Javon Alexander who all played a significant role a season ago.

Even though it might seem that the team is set for 2010, that is not the case. With all of the returning underclassmen and the new incoming freshman everybody will have to work hard.

“The competition within the program is at an all-time high,” said Ross. “There will be no hand-outs, each player must earn their spot on the roster and in the line-up.”

Spring practice is the beginning of a new season and the Lions are looking to try and take that next step and have another run deep into the playoffs in 2010.