Missouri Southern Looking to Build Off 2023 Success Heading Into Spring Practices
JOPLIN, MO — After a strong finish to their season last year, the Missouri Southern Lions come into the 2024 Spring Practices with a lot of energy and excitement looking to build off last year’s success.
The Lions are coming off a 5-6 record in 2023, their best finish in a season since 2013 when they finished 7-3.
Their biggest win of the season came in the last game of the year when the Lions upset No. 19 Missouri Western in double overtime, 47-41.
Southern is certainly using that as a motivation coming into this year, but another good thing for the Lions is they have a lot of depth coming back especially at the offensive line spot.
Defensively, they will rely on some older guys to help get the young guys ready for the season.
Linebackers Colton Bass and Luke Bergmann are a few names to watch as leaders there in the middle of the defense.
We caught up with the team to talk about spring ball.
Head Coach Atiba Bradley said, “You know, we’re finally seeing, the two years of recruiting and redshirting. So we finally have depth at certain positions. We’ve always struggled with our O-linemen and D-linemen and those are our best numbers now. And so that’s attribute to recruiting and redshirting. And then now those guys are available and ready to contribute”.
Redshirt Junior Quarterback Luke Sampson said, “It’s been great. I feel like we’ve had great energy all break. I mean, obviously we’re just coming back from spring break right now, So, you know, just shaking that off, getting back into it, locking in. But it’s been good. I mean, we’ve been putting in some work in the weight room, so it’s good to be able to come out here and Put it out on the field”.
Redshirt Junior Linebacker Zach Bergman said, “Yeah, it’s been a lot of fun. We got a lot new pieces on our team. But man, the energy has been great and that’s all you can ask for. starting spring ball. So, you know, we’ve got we have got some things to fix, but our energy energy’s been high and we’re flying around us. I mean, that’s the most fun thing about football”.
Missouri Southern’s spring game will be Friday (Apr 12) at 5:30 p.m. there at John G Hughes Stadium.
