When LaTef Grim walked off the field at Alex G. Spanos Stadium for the final time in 2025, the then-first-year coach could finally feel it.
Relief.
Lincoln had just rolled past Turlock 54-15 on Nov. 7 in one of California’s first high school bowl games.
Of course, a season-ending win was nice. What Lincoln showed during it meant more.
The offense was humming. The defense was flying around. Everything had finally clicked. With 11 minutes still remaining in the third quarter, players were already reaching for peanut butter and jelly Uncrustables on the sideline.
It was the kind of performance Grim had been waiting to see.
A “wake-up call” for just how good Lincoln could become.
“What’s exciting is we’ve set the standard for where this program is supposed
to be,” Grim said. “It was a wake-up call that showed them this program was heading in a different direction.”
There was a time when deep playoff runs were familiar at Lincoln.
The Trojans won their first — and only — section title in 2000, reached the semifinals in 2001, returned to the championship game in 2002 and made the quarterfinals in 2003.
Nine more playoff wins followed before the 2013 season.
Then came a much different stretch.
Lincoln has surpassed six wins only once since, and the results last year showed both ends of the spectrum.
They finished fourth in the TCAL and 5-5 during the regular season, losing by 13 to St. Mary’s and five to Edison. Against Tracy, Oakdale and Manteca, however, the margins grew to 22, 40 and 37 points.
Which brings it back to Turlock.
“Last season, we didn’t have the success we wanted,” senior wide receiver David Gray said. “The previous years were the same. We had sparks and glimpses last year, but that game showed us what we could be. Now, I feel like we’re more bought in than ever.”
And with that buy-in has come belief.
“Lincoln’s back,” senior quarterback Julian Perez said. “Simple as that. We’re going to win the league, and we’re going to the playoffs.”
A look at who Lincoln brings back on offense helps explain the confidence.
After throwing for 1,781 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore, Perez broke out last season with 2,981 yards and 33 touchdowns, drawing interest from Fresno State, Idaho, Sacramento State, Cal Poly and Eastern Washington along the way.
He won’t be short on weapons.
Gray, a 6-foot-2 Cal Poly commit, returns after an 812-yard, eight-touchdown season. His offer list also included Oregon State, Nevada, Sacramento State and California. Alongside him is senior Trey Jackson, who totaled 579 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
And Grim believes the depth goes even further, with three more players outside of that duo who “can go out there and make a play.”
“Playing for each other is what this offense is all about,” Gray said. “That’s the biggest thing. Once somebody gets selfish, it’s not going to flow correctly. But we play for each other, and that’s why I feel like we can have one of the top offenses in NorCal.”
Grim added, “Having the whole offseason together and being able to implement the offense has been big. A lot of the guys are in their second year in the offense now, so it makes sense to them.”
That familiarity — and the team-first approach behind it — carries over to the defense.
There may be no better place to start than Fallon Barquet.
The 6-foot-4, 198-pound senior defensive end and outside linebacker earned TCAL Defensive Player of the Year honors after totaling 45 tackles, 11 sacks, 17 tackles for loss and an interception.
Sophomore linebacker Chance Garner brings back even more production after the 6-foot-2, 202-pounder led Lincoln with 60 tackles, including four for loss, and added three sacks.
“There’s no question they’re two of the best defensive players in the section,” Grim said.
Good luck finding much inexperience behind them.
Kesean McCullough, a 5-foot-11, 170-pound junior defensive back, returns after totaling 27 tackles, two interceptions and two pass breakups while drawing interest from Fresno State, Idaho, Sacramento State, San Jose State and Washington State.
Seniors David Edmonds and Eric Stallworth are both 6-foot-1, three-year varsity starters, a duo Stagg defensive backs coach Devin Mays called “two of the coldest DBs in the 209.”
“We play all over the field,” Barquet said. “Stopping the run comes first, and then we want to get after the quarterback with an aggressive pass rush every time. We just want to be great.”
Grim added, “There are practices where we haven’t been able to get a ball off on anything deeper than a three-step drop.”
Lincoln knows what comes next won’t be easy.
The TCAL won’t hand the Trojans a league title. A playoff spot won’t come because Perez declared “Lincoln’s back.” And one 54-15 win over Turlock doesn’t erase the ups and downs that came before it.
But it did show them something. They aren’t far off.
That was the "wake-up call" last November.
Now comes the chance to prove it.
"We must stay disciplined," Perez said. "I feel like we can go toe to toe with everybody. But as long as we stay disciplined, listen to our coaches, I feel like we can do what every say is impossible possible."
Gray added, “Be us. Be the best version of ourselves. We feel like we’re unmatched against anybody. Go out, play our ball and don’t get caught up in anything else. Just be Lincoln.”
This article originally appeared on The Record: Lincoln football believes 'wake-up call' showed what's possible in 2026
