Lindenwood University Athletics

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Patrick Ross, the winningest football coach in Lindenwood history, is in his 13th season as the head coach of the Lindenwood program in 2016. He is in his 15th season overall as a collegiate head coach.

Ross owns a career coaching record of 104-56 (.650), his teams have appeared in the NAIA Football Championship Series six times, and twice he has earned NAIA National Coach of the Year honors. In his first 12 years in St. Charles, he has compiled a record of 90-49, won three HAAC championships, advanced to the NAIA national playoffs five times, including a trip to the national championship game in 2009, and played in the 2013 NCAA Division II Mineral Water Bowl. He became the all-time leader in wins at Lindenwood in 2007, and his .650 winning percentage shatters the previous best mark for the program.

The Ross Era at Lindenwood has been marked by winning and excitement. The Lions have become one of the top scoring teams at any level of college football over the last 12 years. Ross has directed the top-six offenses in school history, and eight of the top ten. Lindenwood has averaged 33.0 points since Ross has come to Lindenwood, including nearly 40 points the last nine years.
 
In four seasons at the NCAA Division II level, Ross coached cornerback Pierre Desir to two All-American honors, and he was the winner of the 2013 Cliff Harris Award as the small college Defensive Player of the Year. In 2014, linebacker Connor Harris became the second Lion at the NCAA level to earn All-American honors, and last season, Harris and punter Matt Klingler were both first-team All-Americans. Lindenwood players have also earned seven all-region honors, and had 37 all-conference accolades, including Harris being the 2015 co-Defensive Player of the Year, in its short span at the NCAA level.

While Lindenwood was at the NAIA level, Ross’ players won 10 All-American awards, including six first-team honors. Jeff Hynes was twice named the Rimington Award Winner as the best offensive center in the NAIA. Ross coached three HAAC Players of the Year with DeDe Dorsey winning the award in 2004 and Denodus O’Bryant winning back-to-back awards in 2009 and 2010. Ross’ players were named first-team All-HAAC 37 times, 32 players were named second-team all-conference, and 27 received third-team honors.


In 2015, Lindenwood received a record-breaking year from two All-Americans in Harris and Klingler. Harris became the MIAA’s all-time leading tackler in just his junior season, and also broke the NCAA single-season tackles record. Klingler led the NCAA in punting average and broke the school’s single-season record in that category.

2014 was also marked by another outstanding season from Harris during his sophomore campaign. Harris finished fourth in NCAA Division II with 13.8 tackles a game. He earned All-American honors from three different organizations, and also earned first-team All-MIAA and all-region accolades. Ross earned his 100th career victory with a 44-38 road win over Washburn. 

2013 was a historic one for the Lindenwood football program as it had its first NFL Draft Pick in program history. Desir was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round with the 127th overall pick. He was just the eighth player in conference history to be taken in the first four rounds of the draft. Among the many firsts set by Desir was participating in the East-West Shrine Bowl and the Senior Bowl, was invited to the NFL Combine, and having the first NFL Pro Day at Lindenwood.
 
Ross led Lindenwood to the postseason in its first full season of NCAA Division II action. The Lions went 7-3 in MIAA play and tied for fourth place in their first season in one of the toughest NCAA Division II conferences. Among the top victories was a 44-33 win on the road at the defending national champions, Pittsburg State. Ross and Lindenwood had several nail-biters in the year, including a 17-point fourth-quarter comeback against Glenville State and another fourth-quarter comeback against Fort Hays State. Lindenwood went 8-3 in the regular season and earned a berth in the Mineral Water Bowl in Excelsior Springs, Mo.

Ross did one of his best coaching jobs in 2011 as he led Lindenwood through its transition season as the program moved from the NAIA to the NCAA. The Lions went 8-3 and were the only second-year transition school to record a winning record. Lindenwood opened the season with a 22-20 win over Northern Colorado, the program’s first win over a NCAA Division I scholarship team. Among the team’s other big wins were last-minute victories over NCAA Division II powerhouse Texas A&M-Kingsville and NAIA power Azusa Pacific.

Lindenwood’s offense continued its high-scoring ways despite the tougher competition, and having a new quarterback and nearly a completely new offensive line. The Lions averaged over 40 points and 367.9 total yards a game.

In 2010, the Lions went 9-2 overall in their final season of NAIA play, and finished second in the HAAC with a 9-1 mark. Lindenwood advanced to the NAIA Playoffs for the fourth straight season and fifth overall appearance in Ross’ tenure. The Lions had one of the best offenses in the entire country. Lindenwood possessed the No. 1 passing offense, the best passing efficiency, top offense yards per game, and second most points scored.

In 2009, Ross led the Lions to their best season in program history as they advanced to the national championship game. The Lions went 10-0 during the regular season and won the program’s third HAAC Championship. Lindenwood hosted playoff games in the first and second rounds and then traveled to Helena, Montana, where they faced Carroll College. The Lions would beat the Saints and move onto the national championship against defending champions, Sioux Falls. Sioux Falls upended the Lions 25-22.

For the second straight season in 2009 the Lions had one of the most prolific offenses in the country. The Lions averaged over 53 points a game which was tops in the country and broke the school record for points scored with 744. Lindenwood finished ranked second in the country when the final polls came out, which was the highest ranking the school has ever accomplished. After the season, Ross was named HAAC Coach of the Year.

In 2008, Ross led the Lions to within one play of reaching the national championship game. The Lions went 9-1 during the regular season and finished second in the HAAC. Lindenwood hosted a first-round playoff game and put up 65 points in the first postseason win in school history. The second postseason win came a week later in the quarterfinals when a last-second field goal gave the Lions a three-point win. In the semifinals, Lindenwood went into the house of NAIA powerhouse Carroll and didn’t back down. The Lions scored a touchdown to pull within one in the final minute, but a failed two-point conversion ended the team’s run toward a title.

Lindenwood had one of the top offenses in the country in 2008, setting school records with over 40 points and 460 yards of total offense a game. The Lions ranked fifth in the NAIA in total offense and sixth in scoring. On the other side of the ball, Lindenwood allowed less than 21 points a game and held four teams to single-digit points. Ross was named National Coach of the Year by Victory Sports Network after the season.

Ross was also named National Coach of the Year in 2004 in his first year at Lindenwood, after he led one of the most amazing one-season turnarounds in college football history. The Lions went 11-0 in the regular season, tying for the same number of wins the team earned in the previous four years combined, and won their first HAAC title. In 2007, Ross directed the Lions to another conference title and national playoff appearance. Behind another high scoring offense, Lindenwood won its first 10 games and finished the regular season ranked ninth in the nation.

Prior to coming to Lindenwood, Ross was the head coach at Ottawa (Kan.) for two seasons. He posted a record of 14-7 there, winning the 2003 KCAC title and advancing to the national playoffs. Prior to his stint at Ottawa, Ross served as the defensive coordinator for three years and an assistant for one at Kansas Wesleyan.

Ross has had eight Lindenwood players sign NFL contracts and numerous others have signed contracts with other professional leagues. Dorsey, Desir, and Brian Schaefering have played in the NFL, while Zac Atterberry, Marcel Thompson, Roren Thomas, O’Bryant, and Helmick signed with NFL teams after their Lindenwood careers. Dorsey was a member of the 2007 Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts, and Derrick Ward, a former player for Ross at Ottawa, won a Super Bowl ring in 2008 with the New York Giants.

Ross and his wife, Stacey, have three kids, Peyton, Caden, and Shaelene.

Patrick Ross' Year-by-Year Coaching Record

Year	School	Overall	Conf.	Notes
2002	Ottawa	5-5	5-4
2003	Ottawa	9-2	9-0	KCAC Champions/NAIA Playoffs
2004	Lindenwood	11-1	10-0	HAAC Champions/NAIA Playoffs
2005	Lindenwood	7-4	7-3
2006	Lindenwood	5-7	5-5
2007	Lindenwood	10-2	9-1	HAAC Champions/NAIA Playoffs
2008	Lindenwood	11-2	9-1	NAIA Semifinalist
2009	Lindenwood	13-1	10-0	HAAC Champions/NAIA Finalist
2010	Lindenwood	9-2	9-1	NAIA Playoffs
2011	Lindenwood	8-3		First win over NCAA DI FCS Team
2012	Lindenwood	8-4	7-3	Mineral Water Bowl Appearance
2013	Lindenwood	3-6	2-6
2014	Lindenwood	2-9	2-9
2015	Lindenwood	3-8	3-8
	Career	104-56	87-41