Since bringing football back for the 2008 season, Lincoln has never had a winning season — their high watermark has been a pair of 3-7 campaigns.
The Lions went just 1-9 in 2018 — 1-5 in the CIAA — but second-year head coach Josh Dean thinks the arrow is pointing up based on what he has seen in camp so far.
"I couldn't be more pleased with the workouts and where we are at as a team right now," he said.
Lincoln has a special talent at defensive lineman in Solomon Bassett. The senior will be looking to build on a 2018 campaign, in which he finished with 6.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss.
"I'm excited to see what kind of productivity he will have this year," Dean added, "because now we have some other guys on the defensive line with him that will make his job a lot easier."
On offense, Dean said the Lions have a three-way battle for the starting quarterback job.
"Between Emmett Hunt, Eban Jackson and Zach Green," he said. "It's a very tight battle right now. All three of them bring something a little bit different. They're all passers, more throwers than runners, and they've all had bright spots.
"But right now, Eban Jackson is in the lead."
Dean said it's a challenge building a winning culture with a program that has struggled for years.
"There is a part that's X's and O's, and there is a part that's talent," he said, "but I firmly believe that if you have a structure and a foundation that is solid, and a consistency amongst the players and the coaches about what the expectations and the standards are, they'll breed success."
Lincoln opens its 2019 season on Sept. 5 at Lock Haven.