By Hal Lamar
The football playing Blue Tigers of Lincoln University will eventually leave the ranks of the independents and join a conference. But their head coach, Jack Bush, says they intend to stay with the NAIA.
" They don't tend to be so restrictive, " says Bush. The NAIA is the best route for us because it gives us a chance to recruit the kids we need to recruit."
Lincoln, fielding its first football team in over ten years, is about young as a team can get. Only seven of the 62 men on the squad are sophomores or juniors.
" We have a lot of freshman, that's for sure, " said Bush, smiling. But having that many new kids will give Bush and his staff an opportunity to mold and shape the team his way.
The school also doesn't want for fan support. A strong contingent from the campus at Jefferson City Missouri accompanied the squad to Atlanta for a homecoming date with Clark AU.
"Everybody is fired about us bringing football back, " he said. You got to love 'em to come all this way. "
The team lost 31-0 but Bush says that's football. Things will get better.
"You got to look at the film, go over the mistakes, regroup, come back and hopefully have a better showing next time."
The 1-3 Tigers celebrate homecoming this weekend against Langston.
