Junior defensive back Kai Ross had a monster performance, with three interceptions, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery, in Lindenwood’s Homecoming Day victory over Quincy this past Saturday afternoon. (Photo: Steven Delia)
by Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
The Great Lakes Valley Conference announced its weekly award winners for Week 6 of the football season on Wednesday, and two Lindenwood University players were honored and recognized for their superb play in the Lions’ 33-28 Homecoming Day victory over Quincy University.
Defensive back Kai Ross was named GLVC Defensive Player of the Week and kick returner Spencer Redd was named GLVC Special Teams Player of the Week, after both made a series of big plays in the Lindenwood victory.
Ross had a hand in forcing five turnovers for the Lindenwood defense, including three interceptions, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery that helped the Lions slow down the very potent Quincy offense.
“This is very cool,” Ross said, after the game. “I’ve got a lot of family here. A bunch of them came down from Iowa to watch me today and I was just glad I gave them something good to see.”
The first big play came in the first quarter, when Ross forced a fumble that led to a Lindenwood score. He then recovered a fumble on Quincy’s next possession that ended a drive and gave Lindenwood the ball back.
The junior from Huntington Beach, Calif., wasn’t done though. After Lindenwood took the lead late in the half, Ross made sure they kept it going into halftime by intercepting a pass with nine seconds left in the half that kept Quincy from scoring.
Then, at the beginning of the second half, Ross picked off two passes in the first six minutes to help Lindenwood keep its lead. Quincy eventually tied the score, but Lindenwood’s offense took over in the late third quarter and early fourth, to push the Lions to their fourth straight win.
“Coming out of the half, we made some adjustments,” Lindenwood head coach Jed Stugart said. “And Kai, he trusted exactly what Coach (Eric) Inama told him to do on robbing that little hook route they were running. It was one of the first plays of the half. And basically, just trusting the adjustments and doing your job. And Kai’s very instinctual with that, and very coachable. He goes and does what he’s supposed to do.”
Redd earned his Player of the Week honors by delivering perhaps the most exciting play of the day midway through the second quarter, when he returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown that gave Lindenwood a 21-14 lead, and sent the home crowd into an electrifying frenzy, just moments after Quincy had quieted them by scoring to tie the game.
A sophomore from Springfield, Ill., Redd finished the day with a game-high 193 all-purpose yards, which included a 21-yard punt return he almost broke for another touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
Redd didn’t score on the punt return, but it did play a big part in setting up the go-ahead touchdown Lindenwood scored on the ensuing drive.
“That’s something our special teams coach Bryan Baldwin really emphasizes,” Stugart said. “(We’re) trying to make plays on our kick returns and punt returns. And we’ve had a couple of big ones. We’ve had a couple that we thought were gonna go, get called back on a penalties. So it was nice to see Spencer finally get one. He works so hard it at.”
Lindenwood is now 4-2 on the season and will play perhaps its biggest game of the season, this Saturday, when the Lions will go on the road to play the University of Indianapolis.
The two clubs are currently tied for first place in the GLVC standings, and the winner will gain a huge leg up in possibly winning the league crown this season.
“That’s a good team and that’s gonna be a tough game,” Stugart said. “But I think our guys learned some about how important it is to practice hard and focus on what we should be. We’re going to have to be ready next week. Our guys seem to like going on the road, so hopefully we’ll be ready to play our best next week.”
| Lindenwood Lions Football Upcoming Schedule |
| Sat., October 16 — at Indianapolis — 5 pm |
| Sat., October 23 — vs. Southwest Baptist — 1 pm |
| Sat., October 30 — at William Jewell — 1 pm |
| Sat., November 6 — at Missouri S&T — 1 pm |
| Sat., November 13 — vs. McKendree — 1 pm |
| All Lindenwood home football games will be played at Harlen C. Hunter Stadium |