After a pair of losses to start the 2021 season, the Panthers traveled to Southern Virginia in search of a breakthrough victory.
Thanks in large part to the performance of quarterback Shedrick Lindsey, the Panthers made it happen, earning a thrilling 38-34 road win on Sept. 18.
Lindsey was outstanding, completing 19-of-40 passes for 252 yards with three touchdowns, and his 7-yard scoring pass to Ajani Williams early in the fourth quarter gave the Panthers the lead for good.
That was part of an exceptional junior season for Lindsey, who averaged 173 passing yards in nine games with 12 touchdowns and just four interceptions.
Now, Lindsey is back for more, and he's hoping to not only enjoy more individual success, but help the Panthers prosper following a 2-8 season.
"I'm looking forward to every part of (the season), winning, accomplishing things we haven't accomplished, winning the conference," Lindsey said. "We haven't had a winning season since I've been here. That's something to aim for right there."
It helps to have a veteran, talented quarterback returning, and most of the key contributors on offense are back as well.
One of the standouts returning on offense is senior tight end De'queze Fryer, who was named an NCAA Division III All-American following a spectacular season.
Also back are the six leading wide receivers from last season, Ajani Williams, LJ Flint, Jaden Smith, Dana Lucas, Jasharie Anderson, and Eric Harris III.
Aubrey Carter, the second-leading rusher from last season, returns as well, as do starting offensive linemen Zach Neighbors, Quenton Green, Len Spivey, Colby Lee and Jaxon Harrell.
Leading the offense is Lindsey, who has grown as a player during each of his seasons as a Panther.
"He's come a long way," said Head Coach Earl Chambers. "This is his COVID year. He had an opportunity to graduate, but he decided to come back. That says a lot about him. When he's finished writing his story, it'd be great for him to go out on top, and I think it's going to happen. He's working his butt off, and the guys responded to him."
Success didn't come overnight for Lindsey.
After leading Spalding County to the state playoffs as a senior in 2017, Lindsey arrived at LaGrange College in the fall of 2018, and he played in two games that season.
Lindsey got his first significant playing time in 2019, and he threw for 787 yards in six games with five touchdowns.
In one memorable game that season, Lindsey passed for 234 yards with four touchdowns in a victory over Apprentice.
Hoping to build on that success, Lindsey and all his teammates instead found themselves sidelined for the 2020 season because of COVID-19.
In 2021, after a two-year absence from the playing field, Lindsey made up for lost time.
In addition to the three-touchdown performance against Southern Virginia, Lindsey also threw three scoring passes and passed for 287 yards in a home win over Greensboro.
Lindsey threw two touchdown passes against North Carolina Wesleyan, and he had at least one scoring pass in seven of his nine games.
Lindsey was an effective runner as well, and he had a season-best 75 rushing yards in the win over Southern Virginia.
"The game has really slowed down for me," Lindsey said. "So, it's just about executing and being a leader for our offense."
Lindsey is glad to have most of his fellow starters on offense returning, including the men up front who will hopefully give him plenty of time to throw.
"I've got some big, strong guys out there," Lindsey said. "They're young, but they're ready to go."
One of those linemen, multi-year stater Len Spivey, believes having Lindsey back at quarterback will be a massive benefit for the offense.
"They always say quarterback and linemen are supposed to be close, and we are," Spivey said. "You know how he's going to react to certain blocks, you know how he's going to call certain plays. It's a relationship a lot of people don't understand. You get somebody new back there, it's a different cadence, a different way to call stuff. Getting used to one guy is really important for an offensive line."
De'queze Fryer, who caught 66 passes for 944 yards with 11 touchdowns last season, is also pleased to have Lindsey back.
"It's always good to have a returning quarterback, to bring people back," Fryer said. "It's less of a struggle."
Lindsey, an Exercise Science major, has enjoyed his time at LaGrange College, and he's committed to continuing to improve, to making the most of his senior season.
"I've learned a lot," Lindsey said. "It's been a good experience, and I'm still here, still working."
Director of Sports Information Kevin Eckleberry can be reached at mecklebe@lagrange.edu
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