Lindenwood RB Steve Hall (22) and QB Nate Glantz (18) were both on the OVC-Big South 2025 Offensive Players to Watch List. (Photo: Thomas Grove)

DeMarcus Dixon
Staff Writer

With training camp set to begin in less than a month, the Ohio Valley Conference-Big South Football Association released its 2025 Offensive Players to Watch List.

Six Lindenwood players were named on the list, led by dynamo running back Steve Hall, who had a breakout season for the Lions last year.

A St. Louis native, who starred at MICDS in high school, Hall was the OVC-Big South Offensive Freshman of the Year, after rushing for 808 yards and scoring five touchdowns, while averaging 7.3 yards per carry.

Hall was also the Phil Steele Conference Freshman of the Year, an honorable mention Associated Press FCS Freshman All-American, and an FCS Central Freshman All-American.

The 5-foot-9, 195-pound speedster was also a first team all-conference selection and a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award, which is FCS football’s version of the Heisman Trophy Award.

RB Steve Hall heads the list of Lindenwood players on the OVC-Big South 2025 Offensive Players to Watch List. (Photo: Thomas Grove)

Hall was joined on the list by backfield mate and quarterback Nate Glantz, who will return to Lindenwood after a strong junior season. Glantz threw for 2,333 yards and 17 touchdowns, while completing 59 percent of his passes a year ago. He also rushed for six more scores during the 2024 season.

Joining them on the offensive side of the ball is tight end Darrin Fugitt, who caught 14 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns last season and explosive sophomore wide receiver Rico Bond, who made a number of big plays for the Lions last season, including a 78-yard punt return in Lindenwood’s record-breaking 64-0 win over St. Thomas.

Another St. Louis native, Bond averaged 17.8 yards per return and is expected to be a key figure in Lindenwood’s passing game this season.

Gavin Hulet is the only returning starter on Lindenwood’s offensive line in 2025. The senior from Fort Worth, Texas started all 12 games last season.

The final LU player named on the Watch List is redshirt sophomore kicker Will Graham. Last year, Graham specialized on kickoffs, but this season the big-legged boomer from Centralia, Ill., is expected to handle all of Lindenwood’s kicking duties, with those around the league expecting him to have a breakout season.

2025 OVC-BIG SOUTH PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

QUARTERBACK
Zolten Osborne (R-So.), Charleston Southern
Nate Glantz (Sr.), Lindenwood
Kekoa Visperas (R-Sr.), Tennessee Tech
Jase Bauer (R-Sr.), UT Martin
Chris Irvin (Sr.), Western Illinois

RUNNING BACK
Tyson Greenwade (R-So.), Charleston Southern
Jay Pearson (R-Jr.), Eastern Illinois
Quasean Holmes (Grad.), Gardner-Webb
Steve Hall (R-So.), Lindenwood
Payton Brown (So.), Southeast Missouri
Aidan Littles (R-So.), Tennessee Tech
Armoni Goodwin (R-Sr.), UT Martin
Markell Holman (Jr.), Western Illinois

WIDE RECEIVER
Chris Rhone (R-Sr.), Charleston Southern
Cooper Willman (Grad.), Eastern Illinois
Anthony Lowe (Grad.), Gardner-Webb
Rico Bond (R-Fr.), Lindenwood
Cam Pedro (Jr.), Southeast Missouri
Delanie “Juice” Majors (Jr.), Tennessee State
Noah Robinson (R-Sr.), Tennessee Tech
Phaizon Wilson (R-Jr.), UT Martin
Christian Anaya (Jr.), Western Illinois

TIGHT END
Landon Sauers (R-Sr.), Charleston Southern
Alex Herrera (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Cole Schneider (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Darrin Fugitt (Jr.), Lindenwood
Jason Hoath Jr. (Jr.), Tennessee State
Brian Courtney (Sr.), Tennessee Tech
Drake Martinez (Sr.), UT Martin
Brandon Lanier (Grad.), Western Illinois

OFFENSIVE LINE
Andrew Threatt (Jr.), Charleston Southern
Nic DiSanto (Jr.), Eastern Illinois
Andrew Threatt (R-Jr.), Gardner-Webb
Gavin Hulet (Sr.), Lindenwood
Rashad Turner (Sr.), Southeast Missouri
Anthony Smith (Grad.), Tennessee State
Drew Wilder (Sr.), Tennessee Tech
Josiah Tingley (Grad.), UT Martin
Dagen Miller (Sr.), Western Illinois

ALL-PURPOSE
Tyson Greenwade (R-So.), Charleston Southern
Cooper Willman (Grad.), Eastern Illinois
Anthony Lowe (Grad.), Gardner-Webb
Brandon Epton Jr. (Sr.), Southeast Missouri
Tremel Jones (R-Sr.), Tennessee Tech
Demari Davis (Sr.), Western Illinois

PLACEKICKER
Zach Gordon (Jr.), Charleston Southern
Will Graham (R-So.), Lindenwood
Dom LeBlanc (So.), Tennessee Tech
Antonio Chadha (Sr.), Western Illinois

2025 LINDENWOOD LIONS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Date	At	Opponent	Location	TV
August 28, 2025 (Thursday)	Away	St. Thomas	St. Paul, Minn.
September 6, 2025 (Saturday)	Away	Appalachian State	Boone, N.C.
September 13, 2025 (Saturday)	Away	Charleston Southern	Charleston, S.C.
September 20, 2025 (Saturday)	Home	Stony Brook	Hunter Stadium
September 27, 2025 (Saturday)	Away	Miami (OH)	Oxford, Ohio
October 4, 2025 (Saturday)	Home	Tennessee-Martin	Hunter Stadium
October 18, 2025 (Saturday)	Home	Tennessee Tech	Hunter Stadium
October 25, 2025 (Saturday)	Home	Gardner-Webb	Hunter Stadium
November 1, 2025 (Saturday)	Away	Tennessee State	Nashville, Tenn.
November 8, 2025 (Saturday)	Away	Western Illinois	Macomb, Ill.
November 15, 2025 (Saturday)	Home	Eastern Illinois	Hunter Stadium
November 22, 2025 (Saturday)	Away	Southeast Missouri State	Cape Girardeau, Mo.