Lincoln football will look to make a run at a final 11-man district title before moving to 8-man football next season
By Chris Parker
Lincoln football has a new head coach in Lane Johnson this season. Johnson graduated from Lincoln in 2016. He served as an assistant coach after graduation through 2019. He then moved away from coaching and started broadcasting Lincoln football games.
When presented with the opportunity to get back on the sidelines, it was an honor he couldn’t pass up.
“It means the world. I have a sickness. I am addicted to Lincoln Football. I care very much about it,” Johnson said. “The opportunity to represent the school that I love and the school that raised me is a tremendous honor and something I don’t take lightly.”
His coaching staff features five Lincoln graduates including three former teammates of Johnson’s, his brother and one of his former players.
He has an experienced group returning featuring seven offensive and eight defensive starters coming back.
Riley Sanders leads the way at quarterback on offense. He threw for 2,187 yards and 27 touchdowns last season.
“Riley can spin the ball,” Johnson said. “The way I feel is I just have to teach him our offense. I don’t have to teach him how to work through a progression. I don’t need to teach him how to throw the ball. In fact, he could probably teach me something. We are excited about Riley. He has had a good summer, and he is picking up the new offense and running with it.”
The Cardinals graduated No. 1 receiver Chase Young who had 1,305 yards receiving last season.
Dawson Parrott will step into that top receiver role this season. He had 42 catches for 546 yards and four touchdowns last season.
“We couldn’t have a more prepared and capable kid to step into that (No. 1 receiver) role,” Johnson said. “Dawson is every coach’s dream. He is at every day of weights. He is at every day of camp and there 30 minutes early. He is really trying to get to the next level.”
Johnson said Parrott could also see carries out of the backfield.
The offensive line will be stout with Isaac Komm, Ashton Wolfe and Ethan Goosen all returning.
Komm was an all-conference honoree.
“He is our big guy, but don’t let that fool you. He is an athlete too. He moves well. He has good vision,” Johnson said.
Wolfe brings athleticism to the line.
“He is probably our most athletic lineman. He is not real big, but he is a strong kid, a hard worker and not afraid of anything. He is the type of kid who will run into a brick wall,” Johnson said.
Goosen could be back at center or guard this season.
Ben Eckhoff was a starter last season and will move to the offensive line this season,
Grayson Rutherford is a sophomore running back expected to have an impact.
“He has had an excellent summer,” Johnson said. “He has really grown and matured. We think he is going to be a threat out of the backfield.”
Bradyn Benham is another returning starter who will factor in on the offense. He had 200 receiving yards and three touchdowns last season.
Sophomore wide receiver Bradyn Benham will be an offensive option as well.
Eckhoff will be moving on defense as well sliding down from linebacker to defensive end.
“We are probably going to move him to the defensive line,” Johnson said. “If we can get him to be a wrecking ball on one side of the defensive line we really feel like that is going to give us an advantage and make our defensive game planning easier.”
He had 85 total tackles, nine tackles for a loss and two forced fumbles last season.
Komm will be the other defensive end. Goosen, who had nine tackles for a loss, will be on the interior of the defensive line.
Look for Wolfe and Elijah Smith at linebacker.
Wolfe had 50 tackles last season.
Smith is also a sure tackler.
“He (Smith) is an undersized guy, but he is a tackle machine,” Johnson said. “He sticks his nose in there every play.”
Rutherford is slated for time at linebacker.
Dawson Parrott will move around on the defense seeing time at linebacker, safety and corner. He was an all-conference defensive back last season.
Sanders, much like the offense, will run the defense from his safety position.
“He will call the defense from the safety spot,” Johnson said. “It is fitting because he the quarterback on the offensive side, so we are going to have him quarterback the defensive side as well. He is a great tackler and great in coverage. He is rangy; long, quick and able to cover a lot of ground.”
Benham had four interceptions and six pass breakups last season and returns at cornerback.
Bradyn Ferguson is in the mix for time at cornerback as well.
Brawlin Brown (DL/LB), Brooks Heimsoth (DL/LB) and Xander Cole (LB) are all in the mix for defensive snaps.
“(Success is) first and foremost keeping the program heading in the right direction,” Johnson said. “That goes beyond the wins and losses a little bit. I think that is more about culture and more about excitement from the kids. We have made a concerted effort since we took over to improve that area.”
The direction the program is heading is 8-man. Lincoln will move down from 11-man football to 8-man starting with next season. It is a move that may or may not be permanent.
“That is a question (if the move to 8-man is permanent) we are asking ourselves all the time,” Johnson said. “I think it is split as far as what everybody wants and believes. Facts are facts. When you continually only get 15 to 25 kids to come out, I think you are an 8-man program. That is what we have been looking at since the 2023 class graduated. Ever since then our numbers have continually worsened.”
Lincoln will look to make this final 11-man season a special one starting Aug. 29 at Willow Springs.
“I think success for us is improving our win-loss from last year, which is absolutely doable,” Johnson said. “We are going to start the season with 24 kids on the team and nine of them are freshmen. We have to stay healthy to reach our potential. If we can stay healthy or have some semblance of health going into the end of the year, I think seven or eight wins is very reasonable. I think our goal this year is going to be to play in a district championship game.”
