A year ago the Lindenwood Lion football team fell one point short of a chance to play for a national championship. In 2009, the Lions wanted to get back to the semifinals and redeem themselves. That is exactly what happened when the Lions beat the Carroll College Saints, 42-38 in the semifinals to earn a trip to the Russell Athletic NAIA National Championship game.

­Prolific is defined as marked by abundant inventiveness or productivity. That definition is exactly how anybody would describe the Lindenwood offense. The Lions lit up the scoreboard in 2009 leading the NAIA in scoring with over 55 points scored a game and a total of 720 points, which is the ninth most points scored in the history of college football at all levels. Lindenwood scored at least three points in every quarter in 2009 except one and reached the 60 point mark six times in 13 games. The lowest point total the Lions would rack up was 42 in blizzard conditions at Carroll College.

As an offensive unit, Lindenwood would set numerous school records. The total of 720 points shattered the previous record of 680 set in 2008 and the offense compiled over 6,300 total yards which was over 400 yards more than the previous mark.

Coming into the 2009 season one of the biggest questions facing the Lions was would who was going to take over for Ben Kisner, who rewrote the record books in his four years under center. It didn't take long to have that question answered, as junior college transfer Philip Staback came right in and took the reigns of the Lindenwood offense. Staback guided the Lions' offense like a well oiled machine, setting school records in touchdown passes (34), most touchdowns accounted for (40) and is only 201 yards away from breaking the total offense mark. The junior from Oceanside, California was named to the second-team All-HAAC after having a breakout season. As a group, Staback, David Ortega and Brett Ballman set a program record for total passing yards with 3,946.

The quarterbacks would have the best group of receivers in all of the conference, if not the country. The receivers were led by a trio of talented pass catchers, including senior first team All-Conference receiver Rudy Fleming, who leads the team with 55 catches and yards with 949. During the 2009 season, Fleming would set the career school record for receiving yards with 1,935 in only two years, and is just two touchdowns away from the most receiving scores in a career. 

If defenses would try to shut down Fleming, Lindenwood quarterbacks could throw the ball to Marcel Thompson who caught 48 passes for over 800 yards and seven touchdowns or they could get it to Matt Bramow who has scored 10 touchdowns in 2009, which is just one away from the single season record. 

At the beginning of the season not many people in the HAAC knew who O'Bryant was but after the opening game at Evangel, he became a name that would give defensive coordinators headaches. The redshirt freshman from Washington, Mo. would burst onto the scene with a 126 yard, two touchdown game in his first collegiate start at Evangel. From then on he would go on and break the school record for total touchdowns in a season with 23 and total points scored with 138. O'Bryant is averaging just under 10 yards a carry, which is top in the NAIA, and was named the MVP of the HAAC.

In the backfield with O'Bryant were Murrell and Parson who were also game-changers. Murrell was second on the team in rushing touchdowns with nine and Parson would reach pay dirt five times. If it wasn't one of the main running backs scoring touchdowns, nine other Lions would rush for a score, helping the Lions break the school record for rushing TDs in a season with 48.

During the 2009 season the Lindenwood offense got a ton of attention, which was well deserved, but the Lion defense was nothing to shake a stick at. The Lindenwood defense would only surrender an average of 18 points a game during conference play and 38.5 percent of those points were scored in the fourth quarter when a majority of the games were well in hand for the Lions.

Four-time team captain Logen Wright leads a strong group of linebackers. Wright would compile the second most tackles on the team with 67 and also recorded a pair of interceptions, including a pick six in the first round of the playoffs against Langston. Lining up next to Wright at linebacker was Peterson who led the team in tackles with 72 and also had nine tackles for loss.

Seniors Brandon Gould and Adarrious Ross lead a strong secondary for the Lions. Gould was first on the team with five interceptions and fourth on the team with 59 tackles. Ross, who has battled injuries all year, was named to the first team All-HAAC after piling up two interceptions and leading the team in pass breakups with six. Hakim Thomas, Javon Alexander and Cody Fogle were also forces to be reckoned with in the secondary.

The name says it all for this unit. Lindenwood's special teams have been every bit of special. Kickoff returns have been one of the biggest stories of the year. In 2009, the Lion kickoff return team is averaging over 25 yards every time they touch it. Opposing teams would just elect to kick it out of bounds to keep it out of the Lions hands.

Leading the way is O'Bryant, who has returned four kickoffs for touchdowns in only 11 attempts. O'Bryant's four kickoff returns for scores ties the NAIA record for a season. To go along with O'Bryant's touchdowns, Thomas has also taken two kickoff to the house and that is not counting several he has had called back due to penalties.

The Lions have also returned two punts for touchdowns with Thomas and Damien James each picking up one.

Lindenwood placekicker Halley Ferrell has been used more than any other placekicker in the country, having to kick 90 extra points and he would also connect on 8-of-11 field goals with a long of 44.