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Lehigh 20, Villanova 30

I just finished watching the replay of this game. Initial thoughts:

* Mental miscues played way too big a part of this loss. Right out of the gate the special teams mistake on the initial punt put us on the back foot, and getting beat on pass coverage also was killer early. Twice kids got beat for big points.

* Lehigh's offense and defense didn't appear totally in rhythm, though both showed flashes of brilliance at times.

* Kwesi Kankam looks like a keeper. I'll get the stats later, but for a freshman who only got there a month ago he looked aweswome in the action he got into.

* The same problems Lehigh had early last year are rearing their ugly heads again: inability to finish drives. End of first half could have maybe been a TD, while the offense got flummoxed late and we had to settle for a long FG that went just wide.

* Villanova was losing people left and right, but the starters that did stick in the game had good days. But their lack of depth should have been a major strength for us, but it wasn't.

* It's awful tempting to read a lot into this loss, but it was going to be a tough one to hoe anyway with such a young team. A decisive win against Princeton should do an awful lot about getting any bad taste of of Lehigh fans' mouths. But I will be looking for our secondary to play much, much better.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Besides the mistakes, in my mind the key to the game was the inaccurate passing of Sedale. He missed open receivers all day long. On the other hand, for the most part, the passes thrown by the Villanova quarterback were on the money.
Anonymous said…
NUMBER 31 LOST THE GAME! Laquan Gasaway ran over to an obviously dead ball situation and lets the ball hit him. Then Villanova scores 7 with great field position. Lehigh never could recover from those free 7 points. This wasn't even a mistake, it was a BLUNDER THAT LOST THE GAME! If I'm the coach, that player says BYE BYE to Lehigh Football.
And did you see what he did on the next punt. Brennan Thomas fields the ball in 31's vicinity, and he sprints to the sideline, therefore not available to possibly block or recoiver a loose ball.
And I must say, I've about had it with Lehigh losing games they should have won. I'm really starting to lose interest.
Anonymous said…
Ditto. If this team doesn't win early, could be time to let a QB of the future start.
Anonymous said…
IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE QUARTERBACK. HIS STATS WERE GREAT. LEHIGH JUST COULD NOT QUITE OVERCOME THE 7 points given away by Gasaway's blunder. WHen it happened, I had a feeling that Lehigh was doomed againt an opponent like Villanova. They could have been off to a great start. But that 7 changed the entire complexion of the game.
Anonymous said…
Excuse typo. Number One Lehigh Fan. Though they may lose me if they keep this up.
Anonymous said…
I concur on the mistakes of #31 being an issue, but that that it was "the" issue that lost the game pretty much negates the impact of slow play calling, a run defense that left a bit to be desired and a lack of intensity coming down the last 5 minutes of the 4th quarter.

this game was nothing compared with last year's matchup against 'nova. for a team that (traditionally) plays better in the second half, I expected a much stronger fight to the finish.

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