If the road to the NAIA Championship in football goes through the frozen north (i.e., Sioux Falls, S.D. or Carroll, Mont. ... or anywhere else which is liable to be cold and wet in early winter), then Lindenwood head coach Patrick Ross and his team have set about the job of practicing to win there this spring.

Starting spring football practice the first week of March in Missouri can be a dicey proposition with regard to Mother Nature, and through the first ten practices of the 2008 season, the Lions have seen it all - rain, cold (bitter), wind, snow and ice. And practiced through it all without a whimper.

"I'm very proud of how our guys have handled the adversity of some situations we chose to put them in," said Ross, entering his seventh season as a collegiate head coach in the fall. "We made the decision as a staff to move spring ball up into the three weeks prior to spring break this year, knowing some days might be cold and wet. We wanted to make sure we had the mental toughness to execute in poor conditions, and the players and coaches have both responded very well."

With five practices remaining, including the annual Spring Game on April 10 at 7:00 pm, what follows is a brief look at the positional battles, new faces, and returners who are likely to make an impact in 2008:

OFFENSE:
Quarterback - Senior Ben Kisner (6'1, 196) will again be the trigger man for the Lions' high-octane, no-huddle offense, and the Independence, Mo., native will be entering his fourth season as a starter. After throwing for more than 2,500 yards last fall, Kisner has a chance to top 7,000 career passing yards at LU. Senior Bobby DeMoulin (6'4, 207) figures to be second in command if Kisner should go down.

Tailback - The Lions will again be extremely deep at the running back spot, with senior Leonard Durant (5'11, 190) and sophomore Nate Orlando (5'8, 175) being the top returners. Each has enjoyed an outstanding spring, along with senior transfer Dario Camacho (5'11, 198). A junior college teammate of Lion safety Hector Corona, the hard-running Camacho spent one season at Purdue before joining LU after Christmas.

Wide Receiver - Seniors Brent Hodgkiss (6'2, 182) and Austin Bortle (6'0, 204) combined to catch 70 passes in their first season as receivers last fall, and they have both looked solid this spring. Junior Stuart Sago (6'4, 225) and sophomore Mike Bunton (5'9, 179) both played extensively for a HAAC champion Lion team in 2007, and should be big contributors. What is truly exciting for Lion fans is the depth at this spot: two of the most exciting transfer players in spring drills have been dazzling junior Rudy Fleming (5'9, 185), and senior Darrell Thornton (6'2, 195). Senior returnee Brian Williams (6'2, 185) has looked equally good in his second spring with the Lions, and with a stellar group of incoming freshmen waiting in the wings, LU could have one of the deepest WR corps in the nation next fall.

Offensive Line - The mainstays here are all returning starters, with the exception of sophomore tackle Dan Jones (6'4, 275), who may have the best upside in the group. Sophomore Justin Callaway (6'1, 270) and junior Jeff Hynes (6'1, 282) both started as freshmen, and they'll be among the top hogs in the HAAC in 2008. Seniors Carlos Chang (6'3, 284) and LeShawn Newberry (6'1, 295) complete a front five that could be the best in the Heart. Building depth behind that group has been the staff's focus this spring, with junior Mike Errante (6'0, 265) leading the next wave. Junior Jerry Martin (6'2, 270), a JC All-American who redshirted last year after a knee injury, has showed outstanding work ethic in his comeback, and should be ready for the fall.