Head coach Jed Stugart and the Lindenwood Lions will play their season opener on August 31 against Wisconsin-Stevens Point. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
ST. CHARLES, MO — The month of August is here and football is finally back.
At least training camp for the new football season is back. And it began on Thursday for Lindenwood University.
The Lions held their first official day of practice at Hunter Stadium, with the full 85-man team on site getting ready for the 2023 season.
“Like every year, the enthusiasm is high coming into the first few days of practice,” head coach Jed Stugart said. “We’re a fairly young team this year and I’m looking forward to seeing how our team handles the challenges that come with that, especially from a leadership perspective. So far, I’m encouraged we have guys that can step into those roles.”
Stugart is entering his seventh season as leader of the Lindenwood program, and his 14th overall as a college football head coach. The Lions will be featuring a number of new faces at starting positions, especially on offense where the team lost record-breaking quarterback Cade Brister and wide receiver Payton Rose to graduation.
Lindenwood will have a new man under center, an almost completely new receiving corps, along with some changes along the offensive line, and the return of running back Robert Giaimo, who missed the second half of last season due to injury.
On defense, the Lions also lost some of its leaders from last year on the defensive line and at linebacker, but they will be bringing back a very talented and experienced defensive back corps, led by preseason all-Big South-OVC selection Darion Bolden, a first team all-conference choice last year.
In the recently released Big South-OVC Association preseason poll, Lindenwood was picked to finish seventh, with last year’s Ohio Valley Conference champion, Southeast Missouri picked to win the league and Big South champion Gardner-Webb picked to finish second.
The Lions bring back five all-conference players from a year ago, with Bolden being one on defense, along with sophomore defensive lineman Kobe McClendon also coming back. On offense, Lindenwood will have juniors Ethan Johnson and Gareth Warren return on the offensive line. The duo was a part of a unit that led the OVC in eight offensive categories last season, including points per game at 39.1.
The other primary standout returning from last year will be placekicker Logan Seibert, who connected on 11-of-14 field goal attempts and made 44-of-47 on extra points, for a total 77 points. Seibert was second team All-OVC last year and was named third team on the All-Big South-OVC preseason team this year.
The player who figures to be the one fans want to see most is new starting quarterback Cole Dugger. He was a star in high in Owasso, Okla., but has been waiting his chance behind Brister for the last three seasons.
Dugger has seen limited action during his time in Lindenwood, having appeared in 15 games, with 743 passing yards and 12 touchdowns.
Lindenwood will host an open practice at Hunter Stadium on Saturday, August 19. That will be fans and media’s first chance to see the new look Lions before the new season.
After that, the next chance will come on opening night, which is set for Saturday, August 31, when Lindenwood will host Wisconsin-Stevens Point. That game will kickoff at 7 p.m., and will the first of five home games for the Lions this season.
| 2023 Lindenwood Lions Football Schedule |
| Thu., August 31 — vs. Wisconsin-Stevens Point — 7 pm |
| Sat., September 9 — at Southeast Missouri State* — 6 pm |
| Sat., September 16 — at Western Illinois — 6 pm |
| Sat., September 23 — at Illinois State — 12 pm |
| Sat., September 30 — vs. Austin Peay — 1 pm |
| Sat., October 7 — vs. Tennessee Tech* — 6 pm |
| Sat., October 14 — at Charleston Southern* — 3 pm |
| Sat., October 28 — at Tennessee State* — 2 pm |
| Sat., November 4 — vs. Eastern Illinois* — 2 pm |
| Sat., November 11 — vs. Bryant* — 1 pm |
| * – denotes Big South-OVC league game |
| All Lindenwood home games will be played at Harlen C. Hunter Stadium |