JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri -- Mike Jones and the Lincoln Blue Tigers face an uphill battle. The challenge consists of turning around a long-struggling football program in the most unforgiving football conference in NCAA Division II — the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.
Often referred to as the SEC of Division II, the comparison isn’t all that far off. While the MIAA can’t match the SEC’s seven national titles in a row, it does boast an impressive resume — seven championship-game appearances in the past nine years, including two titles (Pittsburg State in 2011 and Northwest Missouri State in 2009). Three MIAA teams are ranked in the national preseason poll, including two in the top six, and three more are receiving votes.
Lincoln, on the other hand, has gone 1-10 in both of the past two seasons, winning just one conference game in that span and hasn’t had a winning season since 1972.
So uphill battle might be putting it lightly.
“It’s a tough challenge,” Jones said. “We’re playing catch-up, we’ve been playing catch-up. I was talking to a coach last year who said, ‘Coach, you’re doing a good job.’ That’s fine, but when everybody’s starting on the goal line and going to the other goal line, but we’re at the 50 and you’re at the other goal line, we’re still a long way from you. We’re a little closer to the goal line, but we still have a lot of work to do.
“We still have to change some philosophies and mentalities on the team, but it’s getting in the right direction.”
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