Lehigh Football Nation

While Lehigh fans are (understandably) still a bit disappointed that the season is over, the winter just got a little warmer realizing that the Associated Press and Sports Network released their all-American teams this week, and four different Mountain Hawks were honored. To go along with the all-Patriot League team that was released at the end of the regular season and the AFCA All-America team , it's worth going over the many Lehigh plaudits for the 2011 season.

Two more All-American teams were announced with Lehigh players on them this year, one from the ECAC and the other from the Associated Press . Senior LB Matt Cohen added to his Walter Camp All-American nod by making it to both the ECAC and Associated Press All-America Teams. The ECAC list, given to the best football players in the Eastern region, was a first-team selection, while the national AP list was a second-team selection. It's great to see the quiet Allentown, PA native get recognition for his great defensive performance as a member of the Mountain Hawks. Cohen wrapped up his Lehigh career with 177 total tackles, 18.5 sacks and 44 tackles-for-loss (which may not be an official Patriot League record, but it most likely is). Senior DT B.J. Benning got his first all-America as a part of the ECAC team. This put Benning in such heady company as James Madison senior DL Ryan Moats and William & Mary senior DE Adrian Tracy , both in the running for the Buck Buchanan award...

Yep, it's that time of year again. June, the toughest time of year to be a Lehigh football fan. The trickle of news slows to a crawl... except here at Lehigh Football Nation, where we keep our eyes and ears open for any morsel of news. For my part, I'm doing plenty to keep the Patriot League newsworthy: stirring up the pot on the FCS message board on Any Given Saturday , or posting information on the Lehigh Voy messageboard forums . That's in between time on the day job, writing for the FCS Yearbook (coming soon), and catching up on my FCS viewing (I still need to finish up watching the DVD of the "Goodman 20 Greatest Moments" ) and reading (I am finishing up my signed copy of "Magic On The Mountain" , by David Coulson of The Sports Network , the story of Appalachian State's FCS title run in 2005). Did I mention the closing on our new house will be later this month, too? The latest developments involve Lehigh senior DT Brian Jackson getting onto...

This offseason, five Lehigh players got national recognition as a part of the Sports Network All-America team , while ten Lehigh players garnered all-League awards . Of course, all these pale in comparison to the real awards: the LFN awards for "Hawks of the Year". The awards were based on my nominations, and you, the fans, got your vote as well. By compiling my nominees for "Hawks of the Week" and counting your votes weekly for the MVP of each week, I present the winners of the 2007 Mountain Hawk team. Offensive Hawks of the Year With the struggles on offense Lehigh had this year, it's officially a tie: the winners are freshman RB Jaren Walker and junior RB Josh Pastore . Walker, the freshman from Las Vegas, NV, gave Mountain Hawk fans a tantalizing look at the future after forging for 375 yards and 1 TD in three starts, while Pastore battled injuries all year but showed flashes of the dominating runner he can be with 251 all-purpose yards in two starts. B...