Mason Espinosa hired as Offensive Coordinator at DePauw University

Mason Espinosa, the reigning NAL MVP and one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the Columbus Lions, is moving into the coaching world. Espinosa has been hired as the offensive coordinator for the DePauw Tigers, a Division III school in Greencastle, Indiana.

Espinosa’s storied career began at Ohio Wesleyan University in 2009. In his four seasons with the Battling Bishops, he was a four time All-NCAC selection and set 17 different passing records.

His time with the Lions was equally as successful, winning the NAL offensive Player of the Year award in 2017 then the NAL MVP in 2021. In 2021, the Lions were the best passing offense in the NAL and Espinosa was the best quarterback, finishing with 2,230 yards, 56 touchdowns and two interceptions, all first in the league. He was a First Team All-NAL selection and the MVP for the first time ever.

Now Espinosa is returning to the North Coast Athletic Conference with DePauw, one of the oldest programs in the country. The Tigers began playing football in 1884 and currently have the 20th most wins in Division III history. They have won 12 conference championships and appeared in the NCAA Division III playoffs three times, making it to the second round in 2021, finishing the year with a 9-3.

For Espinosa, it is a bittersweet end to an historic season and career with the Lions. As he moves into the world of coaching, only time will tell if his jersey will one day be hung in the rafters of the Columbus Civic Center.

The Lions have already found their replacement in Darren Daniel, who won his first game last week against the Sharks and was responsible for six of the Lions’ eight touchdowns. Daniel and the Lions will be on the road this Saturday, April 30 to take on the San Antonio Gunslingers inside the Freeman Coliseum. Tickets for that game are on sale here, and those who can’t make it to Texas can stream the game live on the NAL Youtube Channel. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m EST. 

Season tickets for the 2022 NAL season are already on sale and can be found here. 

ABOUT THE COLUMBUS LIONS

The Columbus Lions are members of the National Arena League (NAL). Founded in 2007, the Columbus Lions are starting their 16th season in 2022. The Lions are a 3x league champion and 14 playoff appearances in their rich history. The Lions play their home games at Hughston Field in the Columbus Civic Center. Lions Season Ticket Memberships are on sale now call (706) 322-3336 or visit columbuslions.com. Follow the Lions on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Lionsfootball/, twitter @columbuslions and instagram.com/Columbuslions.

ABOUT NATIONAL ARENA LEAGUE

The National Arena League was founded in 2016 and hosted its inaugural season in 2017 as the premier league in arena football. The National Arena League will kick off its sixth season in 2022. For more information regarding expansion opportunities or partnerships, contact Commissioner Chris Siegfried at chris@nationalarenaleague.com For more information about the NAL visit www.nationalarenaleague.com, facebook.com/nationalarenaleauge, twitter.com/NALfootball, Instagram.com/nationalarenaleague.