It's the word I can't get out of my head after seeing the Yale game last week and the Bucknell game this week. "Ego". Maybe it's because I was at the Harvard/Princeton this weekend, where I saw a Tiger team win a tough, gritty 31-28 win in what seemed to be ego-less fashion, but it seems like this Lehigh team is also showing signs that they are getting the same lesson as well.
The Yale game, we had maybe a little too much "ego" since we were whooping it up, jumping on Yale's "Y" after halftime - even though we were down. That moment really stuck in my craw. What the hell were we thinking? Were getting our butts kicked on the stat sheet - and we're dancing on the "Y"? It made me think that we thought we were better than we were. Enter "Ego".
This week, there was a lot to like statistically. More discipline; better line play; +3 on turnovers; better rate on 3rd-down conversions and red zone conversion. Also heartening was the play of some of the new sophomores on both offense and defense. But what makes me really smile is the lack of "ego" on the field and playing with a great team effort on offense and defense. There are real signs that this team and its untapped potential could maybe be tapped by the end of the season.
But things must be kept in perspective. This was Bucknell, who was a young, spread-option team that was missing key offensive cogs. You pretty much knew what they could throw at you, and after Lehigh went up by three scores you had a feeling that it wasn't going to be their day, even though they took back a TD before halftime.
Basically, Bucknell's no Holy Cross.
Holy Cross, a team who has passed a lot in their first eight games, couldn't be more different than the Bison. They will be tough to stop, and their sophomore QB Dominic Randolph has the sort of numbers that many people thought junior QB Sedale Threatt might have this year - 70% completion percentage, 13 TDs, and only 2 interceptions. He's taken only 9 sacks this year, and he's been Patriot League Player of the Week two times already (he will probably win his third straight this week too). They use short controlled passing to move the chains and score points. A more different opponent than Bucknell you couldn't imagine.
How can we beat the most formidable Holy Cross team since 1991? I think we may already know after this week's Bucknell game. Check the "ego" in at the door and attack together, offensively and defensively, as a team. Clearly after watching the game this week, Lehigh did just that - play together, make plays, make better decisions, and make fewer mistakes. If anything should stay in the gameplan from the Bucknell game, it should be that.
Only then will we have a shot at this thing.
The Yale game, we had maybe a little too much "ego" since we were whooping it up, jumping on Yale's "Y" after halftime - even though we were down. That moment really stuck in my craw. What the hell were we thinking? Were getting our butts kicked on the stat sheet - and we're dancing on the "Y"? It made me think that we thought we were better than we were. Enter "Ego".
This week, there was a lot to like statistically. More discipline; better line play; +3 on turnovers; better rate on 3rd-down conversions and red zone conversion. Also heartening was the play of some of the new sophomores on both offense and defense. But what makes me really smile is the lack of "ego" on the field and playing with a great team effort on offense and defense. There are real signs that this team and its untapped potential could maybe be tapped by the end of the season.
But things must be kept in perspective. This was Bucknell, who was a young, spread-option team that was missing key offensive cogs. You pretty much knew what they could throw at you, and after Lehigh went up by three scores you had a feeling that it wasn't going to be their day, even though they took back a TD before halftime.
Basically, Bucknell's no Holy Cross.
Holy Cross, a team who has passed a lot in their first eight games, couldn't be more different than the Bison. They will be tough to stop, and their sophomore QB Dominic Randolph has the sort of numbers that many people thought junior QB Sedale Threatt might have this year - 70% completion percentage, 13 TDs, and only 2 interceptions. He's taken only 9 sacks this year, and he's been Patriot League Player of the Week two times already (he will probably win his third straight this week too). They use short controlled passing to move the chains and score points. A more different opponent than Bucknell you couldn't imagine.
How can we beat the most formidable Holy Cross team since 1991? I think we may already know after this week's Bucknell game. Check the "ego" in at the door and attack together, offensively and defensively, as a team. Clearly after watching the game this week, Lehigh did just that - play together, make plays, make better decisions, and make fewer mistakes. If anything should stay in the gameplan from the Bucknell game, it should be that.
Only then will we have a shot at this thing.
Comments
PS On a Pop-up ball, KNOCK IT DOWN. You are the key to the remainder of the season. Good Luck
We thank you for Coach Tom Gilmore. His vision, recruiting judgement, coaching skill and player motivation is the key reason we are doing well so far, and we expect to win again on Saturday!