Less than 24 hours after enduring its first winless season in 12 years, Lincoln decided to make a change at the helm of its football program.
Lincoln fired head football coach Malik Hoskins, announcing the move in a press release Sunday morning.
"We appreciate Coach Hoskins' efforts during his time here as an assistant and head coach," Lincoln athletic director Kevin Wilson said in the press release. "His commitment to our student-athletes never wavered, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors."
Hoskins was contacted Sunday afternoon but declined to comment.
Lincoln ended the 2021 season with an 0-10 record, losing Saturday's finale 41-12 against Missouri Western.
Hoskins began his tenure at Lincoln in 2017 as the Blue Tigers' offensive coordinator. After head coach Steven Smith resigned in May 2019, Hoskins was promoted as Lincoln's interim head coach.
The Blue Tigers posted a 1-10 record during the 2019 season, defeating Northeastern State 27-9 in their Homecoming game. That would be Hoskins' lone win as Lincoln's head coach.
Three days after the 2019 season ended, Lincoln dropped the interim tag and promoted Hoskins to head coach.
The MIAA canceled the 2020 fall football season due to COVID-19. Lincoln played two games in the spring of 2021 - losing to Nicholls State and Texas Permian Basin - but according to Lincoln's football media guide, those games do not count toward the Blue Tigers' overall record.
Lincoln nearly won a rematch against Northeastern State this season, but the RiverHawks edged the Blue Tigers 49-48 in overtime Sept. 25. In its remaining nine MIAA games, each opponent defeated Lincoln by 20 or more points.
The Blue Tigers broke multiple program offensive records during Hoskins' time as head coach.
Running back Hosea Franklin was the MIAA rushing champion in 2019 with 1,359 yards, breaking the school single-season rushing mark. In the season opener that year against Washburn, Franklin rushed for 251 yards, breaking Leo Lewis' single-game school rushing record that had stood for nearly seven decades.
Earlier this season, Lincoln quarterback Zamar Brake broke the school's single-game passing record with 454 yards in the air against Northeastern State. He also tied the program single-game record with four passing touchdowns in the loss.
The Blue Tigers averaged 19.5 points per game game in 2021, nearly doubling their scoring average from 2019. However, they allowed an average of 60.7 points per game this fall, which ranked last among 163 Division II teams.
Lincoln transitioned from the GLVC back into the MIAA prior to the start of the 2019 season. The Blue Tigers have lost 20 of their 21 games against MIAA opponents since rejoining the league, and they did not play conference champion Northwest Missouri this season due to COVID-19 concerns.
According to Lincoln's online football roster, the Blue Tigers had only 62 players this season. Less than 30 percent of the roster consisted of upperclassmen - Lincoln honored six players Saturday for Senior Day - and more than half the roster (35 players) was comprised of freshmen.
Lincoln's press release said a national search will begin immediately for the program's next football head coach. The Blue Tigers will be hiring their fifth head coach since the start of the 2016 season.