After back-to-back state championships and 28 straight wins, expectations are as high as ever at Lincoln Christian in 2025.

With many returning starters, the Bulldogs are a favorite in Class 3A once again, as they will attempt to three-peat this fall and bring home the school's 5th state title.

Last December, Lincoln outlasted Sulphur in the Class 3A final, winning 28-27 on a late 2-point conversion stop to cap off a 14-0 season.

Head coach Jerry Ricke and his group are eager to defend the state title once again, but recognize its a new season and different group.

"We are excited about the opportunity to defend our state title. We don't take that lightly. It's exciting that another season is starting because it's a new opportunity," said Ricke.

"I'm excited for our seniors. This is what they will be remembered for. It's their time to leave their mark and I'm excited for them for that opportunity."

Last year's championship came a year after winning the program's 3rd state title and first since 2019.

The Bulldogs lost some key talent and leadership from the graduating senior class, who was the first senior grade ever to win two titles.

But Lincoln has had a great summer and is ready to get to work, focusing on the task at hand while having a big target on its back.

"This time of year it's about building up from spring ball to team camp to 7-on-7 to summer pride," Ricke said. "We have had really god workouts and our guys are locked into what we are doing."

"We had outstanding testing numbers this summer. The kids have really bought in to what we are asking them to do. And they care enough about each other to show up and do it."

As this year's group goes for another title, it must do so by navigating a tough non-district.

"We schedule out non-district and try to make it as difficult as we can. We have another tough three opponents this year," Ricke said.

Lincoln opens the season by hosting Victory Christian on Aug. 29 before a big match the next week.

The Bulldogs will host Heritage Hall at Dennis Byrd Stadium and Willie George Field for the first time ever on Sept. 5. Lincoln is looking for the program's 7th straight win over the Chargers.

Lincoln wraps up the non-district state when it travels east to Rogers, AR to face Shiloh Christian in another installment of a great rivalry.

The Bulldogs will look to make it three straight over the Saints in the 6th matchup between the two powerhouses before starting district play in 3A-3.

"Those teams will show us what we need to get better at and show us what we are good at, much like last year. It really helped us identify strengths and weaknesses going into district play," Ricke said.

Lincoln will look to extend its district win streak that currently sits at 43-in-a-row. The Bulldogs have also won 47 straight at home and 26 consecutive regular season games.

A host of familiar names and faces return for the Bulldogs on both sides of the ball, which will allow the Bulldogs to have competition and build depth throughout the long season.

"We feel we have a lot of guys that can play, which is going to create a lot of competition in practice and competition for reps on Friday nights," Ricke said. "Competition makes everyone focus a little harder in practice and be as detailed as they can."

Along with competition, continuity and culture, Ricke highlighted the coaching staff as another key piece of being able to reload instead of rebuild. 

"I'm really proud of our coaching staff. We have great continuity and that lends itself to a smooth spring , rolled into summer and eventually into the fall. We don't completely change out schemes," Ricke said. "We just add and subtract. We stay true to our identity, which makes it easy for kids to understand the big picture."

After last week's offensive preview, this week, we look at the defense:

Lincoln allowed just 10 points per game last season, shutting out four opponents and allowing eight points or less in over half of their games.

Defensive coordinator Jeff Comfort is excited about his group this fall, highlighting a similar philosophy to the offense built around effort, intensity and physicality.

"My philosophy is the same as Coach Ricke's defensively. We want to run to the ball with relentless effort," Comfort said. "We must be the most physical team on the field and we have to tackle well. It doesn't matter what our scheme is, we have to do those things and if we do, we feel like we will be in a great place each week."

The Bulldogs return a host of starters defensively, with a chance to build off last year's dominant run and be even better…

DEFENSIVE LINE

It all starts up front.

The group that saved the back-to-back championship run late in the game is mostly back to take another step in 2025 as the leading group of the defense.

"We feel really good about the defensive line and the guys we have back again up there," Comfort said. "They are going to set the tone for us defensively and it allows us to get pressure with just those three and let our other guys cover in pass situations."

The junior class is well-represented up front, as Lincoln Torres, Colt Monsey and Rain Ragland will create a big-three in the trenches, allowing the Bulldogs to have a major edge at the line of scrimmage.

"The big three up front are the key to our defense. We go as they go," Comfort said. "They all three have different things they do well, but collectively they are all extremely explosive and absolute disruptors of the game."

Torres had 42 tackles as as sophomore, with five of those for loss. He also had two forced fumbles and two sacks.

Monsey finished last year with 36 tackles, three for loss, as well as five sacks and a forced fumble.

Ragland had a huge sophomore year, finishing with 50 tackles and a team-high 11 sacks. He had nine tackles for loss and a forced fumble.

"They have tremendous work ethic - all three of them. They are out early before summer pride, practicing their pass rush moves and technique. They are not satisfied at all with the success they have had the first two years," said Comfort.

Fellow junior Kaden Claybrook and senior Logan Kelley will provide depth and are expected to contribute on the defensive front, as well.

"We have to find some guys to spell them because they are also playing for us on offense. Kaden Claybrook had a great spring and showed us a lot, he will be the first rotator up front. We have some other guys like Logan Kelley and others that could also contribute," Comfort said.

Kelley had 19 tackles in reserve action a year ago.

LINEBACKER

After losing two senior linebackers, Lincoln will look to some new faces, led by a familiar one, to lead the group in 2025.

Senior Connor Rowlett slides over from outside linebacker to middle linebacker in his final season as a Bulldog, where he will be expected to standout as the veteran.

Newcomer Isaac Beisel will occupy one of the outside linebacker spots, as the sophomore showed what he could do last year late in games and on special teams.

"We will have some new faces and some guys in new positions at the linebacker group. Isaac Beisel and Connor Rowlett will lead the group for us but overall we will need this group to come along and improve as the season goes along," Comfort said.

Comfort is excited about both linebackers this season and expects them to progress even further as the season goes along.

Rowlett had 45 tackles as a junior, six for loss. He also had four sacks from his linebacker spot.

"Connor started for us last year and he has played in two state title games. He will ead our group from an experience stand point," Comfort said.

Beisel had 30 tackles in a reserve role last year and also recovered a fumble.

"Beisel has a ton of potential and just needs reps in this spot to get more comfortable but he had a great spring and summer and we are fully confident in him," Comfort said.

The third linebacker spot will be a competition between several guys, including junior Parker Rogers and senior Ethan Uyetake.

"We will have two other guys battling it out for the other linebacker spot. Both Parker Rogers and Ethan Uyetake will play and contribute at that spot but we aren't sure who will emerge there yet. They have both shown us some good things," Comfort said.

SAFETY

Another position of big strength for the defense is the safety position.

Lincoln returns all three starters from a year ago in juniors Braeden Baker and Brett Kaste, as well as sophomore CJ Wright.

"We have all three guys back and they are all contributed big time during the last three games of the year at safety," Comfort said.

Baker is the leading returning tackler after having 56 stops a year ago. He also had seven pass break ups, an interception and a fumble recovery.

Kaste had 29 tackles as a sophomore from his safety spot. He also picked off four passes and had four pass break ups, as well as a forced fumble.

"Brett and Braeden will play closer to the line of scrimmage for us and CJ can man the middle safety for us. This group will be a huge part of leading our defense in defending the run game and obviously the pass game," Comfort said.

Wright had 14 tackles and two pass break ups during his freshman season.

Comfort also talked about senior Gabe Huntsinger being able to play as a depth piece in a deep safety room.

"Gabe Huntsigner will be the 4th guy. He had a great spring and is really solid back there. I would definitely feel comfortable putting him in any game to do his job," he said.

He had 11 tackles in reserve action last year.

CORNER

A position with one returning starter and some candidates for the other spot will be corner, as Lincoln welcomes back senior Hudson Farris to lead the way.

Farris started in the secondary for Lincoln a year ago, finishing with 32 tackles, a team-high 12 pass break ups, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble as a junior.r

"Hudson is back and was a starter for us last year. He will be the leader of the group and does a great job of playing the pass and the run," said Comfort.

The other candidates for playing time and a possible starting spot will be senior Liam Anderson, sophomore Caleb Peterson and junior Lamar Lewis.

"We have a trio of guys battling it out for the other corner spot in Liam Anderson, Caleb Peterson and Lamar Lewis," Comfort said.

"Those guys will have opportunities this spring to step up and take the job, but with many of these guys playing some on offense too, we will need everyone to be ready to play out there."
 

SPECIAL TEAMS

Lincoln returns senior kicker Cooper Housley, who missed some time with injury last year but should be in for a big final season as a Bulldog.

Housley was 63-of-66 on PATs and made his only field goal attempt in 2024, a 22-yarder.

The senior was also a weapon on kickoff last season, totaling 39 touchbacks and averaging 51 yards per kickoff as a junior.

Sophomore Noah Wilhelm stepped up in Housley's absence to make 27-of-29 PATs last season.

Senior Carter Ricke returns as Lincon's punter. He had to punt just nine times last year but averaged 35 yards per punt and had a long of 55 yards.

Wright and Peterson will be the likely return men on kickoffs and punts.

Wright had 11 kickoff returns last year for 276 yards, a 25-yard average. His long of the year was a 54-yard return.