Lindenwood University Athletics

Eric Inama is in his ninth season on the Lindenwood football coaching in 2025. He was promoted to defensive coordinator prior to the 2019 season.

In 2024, Inama guided a defensive unit that led the Big South-OVC Association in fumbles forced with 13. Vincent King was named a first-team all-conference selection after racking up 106 tackles on the year which ranked second in the conference.

The Lions earned just their second shutout since 2015 in a 64-0 win over St. Thomas and defeated then No. 6 SEMO 24-12 on November 9 in Hunter Stadium. In the win over the Redhawks, Lindenwood held Paxton DeLaurent without a touchdown pass for the only time this season.

In 2023, Inama led a defensive unit who boasted two all-conference selections in Kobe McClendon and Ethan Stuhlsatz. McClendon finished the year with 6.5 sacks, fourth most in a single season in program history. During the year, Lindenwood garnered a pair of Defensive Player of the Week honors. Inama guided the defense to its first shutout since 2015 in a 23-0 win over Tennessee Tech during week six of the season. Academically, Lindenwood compiled five CSC Academic All-District selections. 

In its first NCAA Division I season, the Lions went 7-3 record, including a 4-1 mark inside Hunter Stadium. Lindenwood picked up a thrilling 21-20 road win over Houston Baptist, as they blocked a punt with 28 seconds left, which was recovered in the end zone for a game-winning score. Lindenwood earned another road victory on October 8 in a 52-49 win over Central Arkansas, which was the start of a four-game winning streak. During that stretch, Lindenwood earned its fist win inside conference play after defeating Murray State in week six. The Lions received votes in the FCS weekly poll on three different occasions during the year. The Lions accumulated 10 all-conference selections and nine OVC weekly accolades, while Kobe McClendon was named a Stats Perform FCS Freshman All-American after an impressive 2022 campaign.

In 2021, the Lions won their second-consecutive GLVC Championship with another perfect season in league play.  Lindenwood closed out the season with a 9-3 record, while going 7-0 in the conference.  For the second time in as many season in the GLVC, Drew Seers was named Defensive Player of the Year.  The Lions accumulated 21 all-conference selections, including nine of the defensive unit.  Seers went on to collect two first-team All-American honors and was voted as a finalist for the Cliff Harris award, which recognizes the top defensive player in the country.  Seers was named the D2Football.com Defensive Player of the Year in his final season with the Lions.  Lindenwood earned its second appearance in the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs for the second time since joining the NCAA.  Academically, the Lions compiled three CoSIDA Academic All-District selections, while two moved on to earn Academic All-American accolades.
 
The Lions earned a win over Quincy with the help of three interceptions from Kai Ross, which tied a program record.  The Lions collected 18 interceptions to rank fifth in school history.  Ross (6) and Seers (5) reached the top-six in the program record book for interceptions in a season.  Jordan Perry finished the season with 11 pass breakups to rank second in school history.  Lindenwood capped of the regular season with a win over McKendree, marking 14-consecutive wins for the Lions in the conference.

In the summer of 2020, Lindenwood earned a ranking of No. 13 in the Street and Smith Preseason Poll, while receiving the No. 17 spot in the LINDY'S Sports Preseason Poll.  Drew Seers was featured on the College Football American Yearbook Division II Preseason Starting Lineup.  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the start of the 2020 season was delayed.  On October 6, 2020, the GLVC Council of Presidents voted to move the season into the spring semester, which featured a shortened schedule.  On March 18, 2021, the Lindenwood football program opted out of the spring season out of concern for the health and well-being of the student-athletes.

In 2019, Inama helped Lindenwood to one of its best seasons in the NCAA era, as the Lions went 9-4 on the year with a perfect 7-0 mark in conference play to capture the GLVC Championship.  Lindenwood earned a berth in the 2019 NCAA Division II Playoffs, while defeating No. 5 Ouachita Baptist in the first round.  Inama aided Drew Seers in his achievement of the GLVC Defensive Player of the Year.  Seers was named first-team All-American (Associated Press, AFCA) and second-team All-American (D2Football.com).  Seers earned first-team all-region (D2Football.com) recognition after his outstanding season.
 
Inama and the defense garnered three members on the first-team All-GLVC, and three players earned second-team All-GLVC honors.  Lindenwood tallied five GLVC Defensive Player of the Week honors, as Seers earned the award three different times.  Seers set a new school record with 99 assisted tackles, and compiling 17.0 tackles for loss.  Tayvian Weary earned first-team All-GLVC, as he tied the school record for sacks in a season with 7.5.
 
Lindenwood accumulated 10 interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries on the season.  The Lions had 14 different players register a takeaway, as three different players forced at least one fumble.  The defense averaged 2.1 sacks per game, and tallied 5.0 tackles for loss per game.  Inama and the defense close out the game against Ouachita Baptist with an interception to secure the first victory in the NCAA Division II Playoffs for the Lions.
 
Lindenwood closed out the game against No. 24 Truman State with a fumble recovery on the final play of the game to solidify the upset.  The defense repeated it performance against Saginaw Valley, as the Lions recovered a fumble on the last play to secure the victory.  In the final home game of the year, Inama and the defense stood strong in overtime by stopping Missouri S&T on fourth down to win the game.

In his second year, Inama helped Lindenwood allow the fewest yards since the 2013 season.  The Lions allowed 385.3 yards per game, the best mark for the Lions in the last eight years.  In week two, the Lions allowed just 33 passing yards against Missouri Southern which was the second-lowest mark in program history.
 
Inama saw great production from the safety position, as Darrius Williams and Grady Daniels were named to the all-conference team.  Williams posted his second-straight 100-plus tackle season to earn third-team all-MIAA, ranking fifth in the season record books ranking behind Connor Harris.  Daniels earned honorable-mention All-MIAA recognition after posting 103 tackles, and registered one of the two interceptions returned for a touchdown for the Lions.
 
Inama saw success as the special team’s coordinator, as Cameron Sanders tallied 198 kickoff returns yards against Central Oklahoma to set a new school record.  The Lions had two kickoff returns for a touchdown, one of which led to D’Harius Brown earning MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week.  Sanders was named honorable-mention All-MIAA as a kick returner after setting the school record for kickoff returns (29) and kickoff return yards (616) in a single season.

In his first season at Lindenwood, Inama played a big role in Lindenwood’s defense improving by over seven points and nearly 100 total yards a game. The Lions ranked third in the MIAA by allowing 207.7 passing yards a game, and were ranked third by allowing 6.0 yards per attempt. Lindenwood improved its passing defense by 104.4 yards a game.
 
Lindenwood also had one of the top special teams in the MIAA under Inama. The Lions ranked in the top three in both punt returns and kickoff returns, the only conference school that could claim that. The Lions also ranked in the top half of the MIAA in net punting, field-goal kicking, and PAT kicking.
 
Inama coached five all-conference performers. On defense, Bakari Triggs was a second-team selection, Darrius Williams was a third-team pick, and Ace Rogers was honorable mention. On special teams, Kendell Sparks was second-team All-MIAA as a return, and punter Michael Crowder was named honorable mention all-conference.

Inama came to Lindenwood from the University of Sioux Falls, where he served as the defensive backs/special teams coordinator from 2014-2016. In that three-year span, the Cougars went 32-5. Sioux Falls intercepted 66 passes and returned 12 of those interceptions for touchdowns. Sioux Falls was nationally-ranked and made the postseason in all three of those seasons. Last year, the program won the NSIC Championship and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
Among the top players Inama coached were John Tidwell and Solomon St. Pierre. Tidwell was a three-time first-team All-NSIC pick, and St. Pierre won back-to-back first-team honors. St. Pierre also won numerous All-American honors, and Tidwell was an Academic All-American. Last season, three defensive backs earned first or second-team All-NSIC accolades.
 
Inama also coached one of the top special teams units in the NSIC. In 2016, the Cougars ranked third nationally in kickoff returns and 27th in punt returns. Sioux Falls also ranked in the top-20 in kickoff returns in 2014, and in the top-20 in punt returns in 2014 and 2015.
 
Inama was also an assistant coach at Sioux Falls from 2007-2009. He helped the Cougars win back-to-back NAIA National Championships in 2008 and 2009, and finish second nationally in 2007. Sioux Falls also won conference titles all three of those seasons, and had the NAIA’s No. 1 defense in 2008 and 2009.
 
From 2010-2012, Inama was the defensive coordinator at Midland University. In his first season, he helped Midland have its most successful season in 16 years. The Warriors went 8-3 and finished the year ranked 22nd in the NAIA. That squad was ranked second in pass defense efficiency, sixth in scoring defense, and 11th in total defense. In 2011, Midland was 17th nationally in total defense and third in creating turnovers.
 
Inama started his coaching career at Kings College as a defensive backs coach.
 
In 2012, Inama was named an AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year finalist. That same year, he served as an assistant coach for the 2012 All-American Bowl. In 2010, he was named an honorary captain of the Schuylkill County Football Coaches Association.
 
Inama was a three-time letterwinner at Delaware Valley College. He was a part of a program that went 21-3 during a two-year run that included the 2003 ECAC Bowl Championship and 2004 Middle Atlantic Championship. The 2004 team reached the NCAA Division III Tournament Quarterfinals.

Inama graduated from Delaware Valley College in 2005 with a degree in business administration. He also holds an MBA from Sioux Falls in 2010.
 
Eric is married to his wife, Kaylene, and they have one son, Kade.