Lehigh Football Nation

We're on the eve of the season, and even an impending storm isn't putting out my enthusiasm about tomorrow. To kick off the season, I'm hoping to post two more items: first, the conclusion of my yearly review of the Patriot League offseason with Lehigh, and second, my media day interview with coach Coen. Lehigh's athletics website released a video clip of the Copperhead Grille luncheon , and it's incredibly cool. Oh yeah, and I almost forgot: Lehigh also has an official iTunes store where they put audio shows and clips from Lehigh athletics last year - they were a treasure trove last year. As of this afternoon there was only one show on there: the weekend preview for this weekend (9/4). Happily, on that podcast is a good, long preview about the Lehigh football season and the upcoming Drake game. LEHIGH Coaching Changes: Much of the same staff from last year's squad remain, with a few changes : defensive line coach Donnie Roberts was elevated to assistant coa...

I'm not feeling well today. Is is because I know I have to do a preview of "that school in Easton"'s offseason today? Or am I just taking advantage of my ill-feeling to review the Leopards today? You'll have to decide as I continue with the sixth of seven Patriot League previews today. LAFAYETTE Coaching Changes: With the departure of offensive coordinator Mike Faragalli to take those same duties at Richmond of the CAA, the Leopard coaching staff was shuffled a little bit this offseason. Unfortunately for Lehigh fans, assistant coach Bob Heffner simply slides into the role of offensive coordinator where he will start his eighth consecutive year on Lafayette's coaching staff. The Leopards did hire a new quarterbacks coach (Mickey Fein, out of Murray State of the OVC) and switched the responsibilities of Phil Hallahan (now runningback coach) and Joe Dougherty (wide receivers). The Hardest Guy To Replace: It’s definitely the guy with the mohawk. As a Lehig...

On a football Friday, just before Colgate plays Stony Brook and a day after Jacksonville State let me down against Georgia Tech, I bring you the continuation of my "Patriot League Offseason" series. Next up: *your* Holy Cross Crusaders. HOLY CROSS Coaching Changes: We all knew it was too good to last, right? After a year where the Crusaders' staff remained intact, Holy Cross saw the architect of its high-flying pass offense, offensive coordinator Chris Pincince, fly the coop to Rhode Island (along with a bunch of New Haven University folks, included several former Holy Cross assistant coaches) to become offensive coordinator for the Rams. Gilmore promoted from within to fill the position, making tight ends coach Mike Pedone the new offensive coordinator. There are more new faces, too: Andy MacKenzie was hired as a quarterbacks coach, and Matt Fanning joins the staff as running backs coach. The Hardest Guy To Replace: Randolph's two top targets from last year, WR ...

Continuing the Patriot League offseason blog series, I introduce to you: *your* Georgetown Hoyas. GEORGETOWN Coaching Changes: Say this about Georgetown athletics: they are incredibly patient. Entering Year Three of head football coach Kevin Kelly's rebuilding project in our nation's capital and coming off a dismal 1-10 season, the main cogs of the entire Hoya coaching staff remains intact for the first time in coach Kelly's tenure. The only addition comes in the form of a new volunteer assistant Matt Shea, who also worked with the NFL's Washington Redskins as a video coordinator. The Hardest Guy To Replace: Even though the Hoya offense ranked last in the Patriot League in 2007 in scoring (15.1 points per game, 11.7 points per game in league games), the player responsible for more than half of those points is graduating. Tough QB Matt Bassuener not only was the primary signalcaller all year (1,874 yards passing, 8 TDs), he was also the teams 2nd leading rusher (30...

Continuing my "Patriot League Offseason" series, next up under the microscope is last year's Patriot League champions: *your* Fordham Rams. FORDHAM Coaching Changes: Masella's housecleaning in the 2006 offseason in the coaching department paid the ultimate dividends: a win over Columbia in the "Liberty Cup", a winning record, and practice on Thanksgiving (another way of saying they won the division and were slated to play in the playoffs). Unfortunately for the rest of the league, the same key coaches (offensive coordinator Ed Argast, defensive coordinator Frank Forcucci) are still here, along with all the main coaches from last year. The one new name is a familiar one to Patriot League fans: Shawn Johnson, who nearly transferred to Fordham in 2003 when he graduated from Duke but still had a year of eligibility. Unfortunately for Colgate, the folks at Fordham steered him to Delaware where Johnson helped the Blue Hens trounce the Raiders in the I-AA Champi...

Today I'm profiling Colgate in my "Patriot League Offseason" series. Ladies and gentlemen: *your* Colgate Raiders. COLGATE Coaching Changes: This offseason, Colgate lost a huge part of their dominating defenses over the past decade: defensive coordinator Ed Pinkham, who was grabbed by Greg Schiano of Rutgers to fill out his staff vacancies. (Schiano, himself a Bucknell grad, obviously is no dummy.) Filling his big shoes as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach is another huge name: Steve Szabo, a Navy alum who played football alongside the great Roger Staubach. More recently, he comes after coaching linebackers at Michigan after a long, illustrious coaching career which included stops on defensive coaching staffs in the NFL. Also hired were two coaches from the ranks of Division III: a new defensive assistant (Dave Uimonen, Springfield College) and running backs coach (Kade Rannings, St. Joseph's, IN) The Hardest Guy To Replace: This one isn't hard a...

Every year, I usher in the new Patriot League football season with a capsule on the goings-on in the offseason for every team in the Patriot League. In years past I have combined everyone's offseason in one huge post, but I thought it better to concentrate on each team one post at a time. In addition to allowing me to keep my sanity, it allows me to highlight each team individually. Without any further ado, here's the first team I'm profiling (in alphabetic order): *your* Bucknell Bison. BUCKNELL Coaching Changes: Last year, the Bison welcomed a new defensive coordinator. This year, head coach Tim Landis will be welcoming a new offensive coordinator in Harold Nicholls. He comes from Rhode Island (where triple-option head coach Tim Stowers was run out of town) and lands at one of the few places in FCS where the triple-option is still in fashion. He replaces Ashley Ingram (who left to coach offensive linemen at Navy) and is the Bison's third offensive coordinator in...