For the third straight week, running back Miles Drummond will start for the Blue Tigers backfield. Listed as the No. 2 back ahead of Week 1, Drummond was called upon to step up.
And he has.
Drummond has accounted for 157 total rushing yards and two touchdowns.
The Blue Tigers are still waiting to hear the status of junior college transfer running back Will Randolph, who is not yet eligible through the NCAA Clearinghouse.
"We're still waiting," Lincoln head coach Mike Jones simply said.
Drummond, a Missouri transfer that hasn't played for three seasons, is not your typical every-down back, but he's doing what he can to fit the bill.
"It's been a steady process of getting into the flow of the offense and different terminology and style," Drummond said. "It's been kind of a slow process, I didn't pick it up as quick as I wanted to, but I was put into a position where I was going to be the No. 1 back when Will Randolph wasn't able to play. So, it was definitely a different position, because I'm used to splitting carries. Now that I'm not it's taking a different toll on my body than I'm used to."
He even graded his own performances in his first two games as a Blue Tiger.
"The first game I was definitely rusty. You could tell," Drummond said. "Playing at game speed was definitely different. I'd give myself about a C. I was able to get in the end zone. I was able to rack up a few yards here and there, rushing and receiving. But, I thought my overall performance was about a C, C-plus. I didn't feel that I played as well as I wanted to."
As for the second game, he graded himself as a "B, B-plus."
"I thought I was able to break a lot more tackles and rack up more significant yards," he said.
Lincoln recruited Drummond out of Hallsville, but he decided to play as a preferred walk-on for the Missouri Tigers.
"It just wasn't working out there," he said. "They were bringing in new running backs, wasn't being invited to camp. Academically, it wasn't where I wanted to be."
Three years later, Jones and his staff were still paying attention.
"When I heard Lincoln had expressed interest in me and had a very good P.E. and kinesiology program," Drummond said. "That also peaked my interest. I thought I'd go ahead and give it a shot. You can't beat getting your school paid for."
Jones was happy to bring him along.
"He's doing a great job," Jones said. "I actually sent a thank you to (Missouri head) coach Gary Pinkel and coach Hodges. He's our leading rusher, our second leading receiver, he's on every special teams, so we're using him up. We have to make sure we don't overdo it, but he has a great attitude in how he approaches it."
Drummond had 23 carries in the season opener and 21 last week. He finds himself in the trainers room more often these days, and is constantly stretching and icing throughout the week, he said.
"I like to think I have a pretty physical style of play and (taking all the snaps) does take a toll on my body."
While the Blue Tigers await Randolph's status, Drummond's main goal is to stay healthy and continue to contribute in any way.
"I wish (Randolph) the best and hope that it gets resolved for both of our sakes, I guess," Drummond said. "But you know, it's definitely a tough thing for him. For me, I have to do what ever I have to do to get my body ready to play and handle the brunt of that load."
The Lincoln Blue Tigers are at an even 1-1 record headed into today's Great Lakes Valley Conference opener at Quincy, Ill.
Jones said his team wasn't consistent enough in last week's home-opening 13-10 loss to St. Francis.
"We just didn't execute like we needed to," Jones said. "We played with energy, it just seemed we were forcing things. In this offense, you got to take what they give you. If it means you throw check downs, that's what we have to. And I think we forced things (last week).
The Blue Tigers head into its first NCAA Division II contest of the season against a Quincy team that lost its first game last week.
One of Lincoln's two wins last season was a 42-21 triumph over the Illinois institution.
But Jones knows not to overlook any squad.
"Last year we got after them," he said. "They're coming off a loss, it's their first home game, and I know their coach is jumping up and down about not playing well against us last year. So we got to be prepared for anything. They're going to be super hyped, so we'll have to be able to match their intensity."
Jones said his defense has a tall task in defending a balanced Quincy offense that features running back Chris Harris.
"He may be the best running back coming back in the GLVC," he said. "He's a good football player."
The last Blue Tiger team to win a conference opener was in 2000, when Lincoln beat Southwestern Assemblies of God as a member of the Central States Football League.
Drummond says it's about controlling the things that they can control.
The Blue Tigers have been three-point winners and a three-point losers in the first two weeks.
"It's coming down to the little things," he said. "We had a really tough loss on Saturday, but basically what we learned from that is we have to come out with the same mentality every week and take it one week at a time and not look past that."
The game kicks off at 1 p.m. at Quincy.