Early last Friday morning, Lehigh football began their spring practice as the sun came up. In so doing, the Mountain Hawks started their long journey and preparation for the fall 2022 football season.
When we last left Lehigh football, they were enjoying a three-game winning streak to end the 2021 season with an extremely satisfying 17-10 win over Lafayette, which was Tom Gilmore's first win over the Leopards as Lehigh's head coach.
Since then, winter workouts have allowed the players to build up to the spring session and will allow Gilmore and his staff to build on their November success.
Spring practice #️⃣1️⃣ : ✅
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) March 25, 2022
Got out there early and worked through the 🌫️.
Full gallery:https://t.co/eSHkKTCjOT#GoLehigh | #beGREAT pic.twitter.com/Oa2MmV46HY
"So far, I really like the energy and enthusiasm the players are bringing to the field each day," head coach Tom Gilmore told me. "There is a genuine appreciation to be back on the field actually playing football and noticeable motivation to improve."
Last evening was the fourth spring practice in the spring session. As per NCAA rules, the first two practices were "helmets-only" practices, so the team has only started this week to have a larger amount of contact.
"I think everyone realizes that we still have a lot of work to do in order to be in a position to get those victories in the fall," he continued. "I like the attitude they have brought each day and I am very optimistic about the improvements we will make by the time the season rolls around."
Been putting in 𝙒𝙊𝙍𝙆 this spring!#GoLehigh | #beGREAT pic.twitter.com/0z4CglwKE9
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) March 30, 2022
Coaching Changes
The Lehigh coaching staff wave goodbye to Running Backs/Special Teams coach and recruiting coordinator Anthony DiMichele and assistant Defensive Line coach Terrence Fede. Right before spring session started, Lehigh announced the promotion from within of one assistant coach as well as the hiring of two new coaches.
Mike Moyseenko will coach Lehigh's running backs, and will serve as passing
game coordinator. A former walk-on and scout team QB at the University of Maryland, Moyseenko comes to Lehigh following four seasons at the University of
Connecticut, where he began as a quality control coach before briefly
overseeing the running backs and spent the last three years as the
Huskies' quarterbacks coach.
Before his stint at UConn, Moyseenko spent five years at Towson
University under longtime Tiger head coach Rob Ambrose. He spent the last four of those years as the wide receivers
coach after serving as the offensive quality control coach at Towson
during the 2013 season.
"Moyseenko adds more experience to the offensive staff," Gilmore told me. "He has coached
all of the skill positions on offense and has experience as a play
caller. He has been able to blend nicely into our staff and bring some
different perspectives to the table."
Wisly Desire comes to Lehigh to coach tight ends after spending the 2021 season as the offensive
line coach and run game coordinator at Tusculum University.
Prior to Tusculum, Desire spent two seasons on head coach Butch Davis'
staff at Florida International University, where he worked with the
offensive line during the 2020 season . In 2019, Desire worked with the
defensive line and was part of a staff that upset crosstown foe Miami
and earned a bid to the Camellia Bowl.
Desire was an offensive lineman at Jacksonville University from
2009-2013, where he helped the Dolphins attain a top 25 national ranking
in 2010 with one of the top offenses in the nation. He played under former Jacksonville head coach Kerwin Bell, the former Florida QB who is now the head football coach at Western Carolina.
"Desire has an extensive offensive line background which will help in the development of our tight ends and offensive line," Gilmore said. "I believe he will be able to work closely with [OL Coach Sean] Pearson and Coach Moyseenko to help elevate both our rushing and passing game."
In his first two seasons at Lehigh, Hunter English assisted with game planning and preparation on the defensive side of the ball and also contributed to special teams planning and preparation. He worked with the defensive line and linebackers, giving specific attention to standup outside linebackers last fall.
"Hunter English was in a Defense Quality Control Position last year, so with him stepping into a coaching role this year, it has been a seamless transition," Gilmore said.
Coming Soon: A Look at Lehigh's Fall 2022 Schedule
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