Lincoln football beat Munroe, best start to a season in over a decade ahead of Colquitt matchup

Lincoln football is off to its best start in over a decade.

The Trojans shut out Munroe, beating the Bobcats 42-0 on Thursday Night, moving to 4-0 this season. The last time the Trojans started the year with four straight wins was in 2012, a year Lincoln made the state championship game, losing to St. Thomas Aquinas in the final.

One of the biggest reasons for Lincoln’s start to the season is the defense, allowing only 21 points in the opening four games of the season. Trojans head coach Jimmie Tyson said the standout to him is his defense's ability to create turnovers.

"We get to play a lot of guys, they are flying around making plays," Tyson said about his defense. "I think this year we're getting a lot of big plays on the back end, some turnovers and interceptions, I'm really pleased about that. Not as good tonight as we wanted but to hold a team to zero is big."

Tyson holds his program to a high standard and the Lincoln head coach says the first four games have helped the Trojans understand what they need to do to keep the momentum going.

"We have to really focus on who our playmakers are, what is the identity and get behind that," Tyson said. "I think the first few games we got to figure that out with game experience, and now after four games we can narrow it down and get going."

A team growing in confidence

In the opening four games of the season, the Trojans have scored 107 points, averaging 320 yards per game on offense. One of the players leading the way for the Lincoln offense is senior running back Jashwan Washington, who scored three touchdowns in the win over Munroe.

"We had to bounce back from JPII (St. John Paul II), we kinda didn't play like ourselves," Washington said. "I told my quarterback just believe in yourself and my linemen to trust our blocks and I'm gonna get behind them. I'm gonna run the ball right behind ya and we're gonna score a touchdown."

Washington feels the Lincoln squad is well-connected, with both the offense and defense looking to make big plays to give the team a confidence boost.

"It's important, all the lineman and the linebackers are all on the same page," Washington said. "I feel like if we get ourselves backed up on offense and have a turnover on downs, the defense will have out back and get it back for us. I got a lot of confidence in those boys."

The Lincoln defense forced a fumble and grabbed two interceptions in the win over Munore, with senior defensive back Keshun Pollock recovering the fumble and breaking up multiple passes. The senior feels the team's collective confidence helps them play for each other.

"We trust each other and we play as a part of a team, we aren't playing individual sports," Pollock said. "We all come together and play for each other, those are my brothers."

Pollock said one of the biggest factors in the defense's start to the season is the team's ability to move on from any mistakes and go one play at a time.

"It's really important because it's football, somebody is going to make a play, so you got to lift your brother up and say 'Hey listen, onto the next play," Pollock said. "Got to have a short memory."

Focusing on the little things ahead of Colquitt

Lincoln will face its biggest test of the season next week, making the nearly 70-mile drive to Colquitt, Georgia, to face off against the nationally-ranked Colquitt County High School.

The Packers are ranked as the 13th-best high school football team in the nation by MaxPreps, and Tyson says his team feels it can compete with anyone as long as it's focused on the little things.

"I think what we really got to focus on is the little things," Tyson said. "We've seen over this year when we don't do things right, no matter who we play, we're gonna give up stuff and make mistakes. If we do things right, we can shut down and stop anybody. The focus is really on us and doing the little things."

The Trojans and Packers met last season, with Colquitt walking away with a 30-7 victory, but as Lincoln's confidence grows this year's game could be much closer. Establishing the run game early on will be crucial for the Trojans, and Washington will be a big part of that.

The senior running back doesn't want his team to get lost in the occasion though, saying the team will come into the game with the same mindset they approach every game with.

"Trusting ourselves, getting our quarterback to feel comfortable in the pocket and mainly limit all the flags," Washington said. "We had some penalties in the last game, flag after flag. I told the team to play clean football, play to the whistle but don't play after the whistle."

Scores from the Big Bend

Blountstown 16-6 Taylor County

Wakulla vs Mosley

Friday Schedule

Valwood at NFC 7 p.m.; Aucilla Christian at Graceville 7 p.m.; Dixie County at Jefferson County 7 p.m.; Rickards at Chiles 7 p.m.; JPII at Leon 7 p.m.; Maclay at FAMU DRS 7 p.m.; Godby at Thomas County Central (Georiga) 7:30 p.m.; Florida High at Madison County 7:30 p.m.; Gadsden County at Tift County 7:30 p.m.

Liam Rooney covers preps sports for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Lincoln football off to best start to a season in over a decade, beat Munroe