MIAMI FOOTBALL

Hesson, Tracy lead Miami to first 2025 win

Defense, special teams contribute key plays

Kenny Tracy secures the ball before scoring a third quarter TD. MVSmith/MRO)

By MIKE SMITH
OXFORD, OH -- Henry Hesson tossed two TD passes to Kam Perry, while Kenny Tracy, ran for 134 yards on 20 carries as Miami (1-3) defeated Lindenwood (2-3) 38-0 Saturday at Yager Stadium.
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It was the first win of 2025 for MU, which had previously lost to a pair of Big Ten teams (Wisconsin and Rutgers), as well as an undefeated UNLV team last Saturday. It was against the Rebels that MU lost starting QB Dequan Finn and several other starters. 
Finn did not . . .

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​. . . dress against Lindenwood, but Hesson managed the RedHawks offense through a slow start. Eventually, he and Tracy helped MU pull away from a gritty Lions effort. 
"It's (a) good (win) for the program. It's good for the team," Hesson said. "We've been waiting for it. The guys have been working hard. As you can see today, the defense wanted it. The offense wanted it."

The game's first points came on special teams as Miami's Kam Perry  blocked a Lindenwood punt. Jermaine Agee picked it up at the 8-yard line and ran it in for a TD. ​

Kam Perry leaps for a punt block. Although he missed this one, Perry blocked the Lions first punt. Jermaine Agee picked up the ball and returned it for Miami's first touchdown. (MVSmith/MRO)

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"It was obviously a huge play in the game to get seven right off the bat," Miami Head Coach Chuck Martin said. 

Early in the second period, Miami's offense drove 72 yards in 10 plays before stalling out at the Lions 16-yard line. Dom Dzioban came on to boot a 33-yard field goal, putting the hosts up 10-0. 
After forcing an LU punt, Miami covered 59 yards in three plays for its first TD. Hesson hit Perry on the 31-yard TD play. ​

Josh Lukusa puts pressure on Lindenwood QB Nate Glantz. (MVSmith/MRO)

A final chance for more Miami points before intermission failed when Dzioban missed a 25-yard field goal with one second remaining . However, the RedHawks increased their lead to 24-0 with a TD on their first possession of the second half. Tracy's 20-yard run capped the 80-yard drive. 
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Hesson found Perry streaking down the right sideline late in the third period. The junior caught the pass in stride and motored 66 yards for a score. Miami led 31-0. Two of Perry's three catches for 122 yards on the day were scores. 

"He's fast. He's shifty. No one can cover him," Hesson said of Perry.  "It's awesome to have a guy out there you can rely on. You know he's going to be open when you need him."

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Jordan Brunson crosses the goal line for Miami's final TD. Brunson carried 11 times in the drive. (MVSmith/MRO)

Eli Coppess turned a fourth quarter Lions pass into a 40-yard interceptions return. (MVSmith/MRO)

"Kam is playing really good football," said Martin, noting the junior receiver has come a long way in the past year. 

The RedHawks final touchdown followed Eli Coppess' interception and 40-yard return early in the fourth quarter. Miami stayed on the ground for 13 straight plays. Jordan Brunson, a 6-3, 233-pound senior ran 11 times in the march, including the game's final score from 1-yard out at 4:23. 

"Overall, a great day for us. (It) was much needed (after) a hard one last week," Martin said. "The kids fought through it this week. It wasn't an easy week."

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Kam Perry comes down in a crown for a Miami score. (MVSmith/MRO)

Brandon Lawhorn-Moore gets help from a teammate as they try to clear some running space late in Saturday's Miami win over Lindenwood. (MVSmith/MRO)