Lehigh Football Nation

(Photo Credit: Matt Smith /The Express-Times ) When I look back at Lehigh's football program over the last four years, I can't think of a single game that wasn't meaningful. And when you think about this fact, that's a powerful thing to say about this group of seniors that will graduate this season. So many programs have off years, years in between quality starting quarterbacks, years when players who find themselves in NFL training camps graduate, and the number of holes to fill are too great to compete for championships, let alone playoff spots. But that didn't happen for this group of Lehigh athletes in 2013. Despite needing to replace two players who found themselves in NFL training camps, WR Ryan Spadola and LB Billy Boyko , a starting quarterback, QB Michael Colvin , and an all-Patriot League secondary consisting of CB Bryan Andrews and S Billy O'Brien , the expectations on this year's team was great: Win the Patriot League.  Build off a ...

(Photo Credit: Kevin Mingora /Morning Call) "You didn't cry or anything when Lehigh lost this weekend, did you?" That was the greeting I got when I came back into the office (from another Lehigh football fan, interestingly) this Monday, as if he knew that I would be taking the loss this weekend especially hard. I did not cry.  But I did hurt.  And I know not a few men that I respect that I know cried on Saturday. This is probably not a revelation to most people who know me through this writing vehicle or in person, but yes, I took the loss hard. Believe me, if you saw my wife and son recently, they'd probably tell you that I was not a pleasant person to be in the car with on Saturday.  Or Sunday.  Or Monday. The truth is, I take every loss hard, and losses to what is the biggest rival in football, Lafayette, hurt especially hard.  It is an occupational hazard of caring too much about a sports team. To me, losses to Lafayette are supposed to suck....

(Photo Credit: Bob Cornell /Colgate Sports Information via the Morning Call ) There will be an entire week to get ready for the 149th meeting between Lehigh and a certain school from Easton. But it's worth taking a tiny peek back at this weekend's game - just a tiny one - to see how far this team has come. This Lehigh team has gone through a multitude of challenges this season, on the field and off. And it's a true "achievement", no matter what happens this Saturday, that this team is in a position to win the Patriot League the final weekend of the year.

The term being bandied about the season in regards to the 2013 Mountain Hawks was the "Cardiac Kids". Every week, the Mountain Hawks would fall behind.  Every week, there would be hiccups, issues, and heart-stopping moments, but most often would end up in Lehigh victories. Most fans wondered: Could it be possible, would it be possible, for Lehigh to put the pedal to the metal against an opponent, to surge to a huge lead, go for he jugular early, and never look back? This Saturday, the Mountain Hawks answered. Lehigh scored the most points they'd scored in the first half since 2002, scoring on seven of their eight drives of the first half and narrowly missing the eighth.  They'd cruise to a 38-3 halftime lead before the second stringers would make the final score look a lot closer. In short, it was exactly what most of the 9,866 fans in attendance were looking for in the first Patriot League conference game of the season.  Never trailing.  Making the game...

(Photo Credit:  Kiera Wood / The Columbia Spectator ) Below the flip, enjoy this week's "LFN Players of the Week" for the Columbia game.

(Photo Credit: John Huff /Foster's Daily Democrat) This weekend, it's homecoming at Lehigh. The pre-football festivities for homecoming start at in the middle of Friday, with a campus rally, followed by a dinner and a movie presentation. The movie happens to be  Monsters University , the hit Disney/Pixar movie from this summer where the heroes Mike and Sully flash back to their days at old Monster U., and we find out how they made it through their college years. It so happens that there is an associated website with the release of the movie that is still up - complete with references to the Monsters U. athletic program and homecoming "The MU faithful were put to the test last year, losing the conference championship with a "Hail Scary" pass from Fear Tech. But MU is back this year with an excellent new recruitment class -- including three top-tier high school standouts: Bart Gates (quarterback), Uriah Pemberslime (fullback), and Harry Phiegel ...

(Photo Credit:  Andrew Miller / Trenton Times ) Below the flip, enjoy this week's "LFN Players of the Week" for the Princeton game.

(Photo Credit: Justin LaFleur /Lehigh Athletics) Below the flip, enjoy this week's "LFN Players of the Week" and a Two Minute drill on the quotes from this Saturday's game. I've decided to break out the sneak peek at Princeton into a different blog post - for reasons that will be come clear.

(Photo Credit: Justin Lafleur /Lehigh Athletics) "I'd never seen it," head coach Andy Coen said, adding a "whew" for good measure. He was referring to a very strange play this Saturday, a play that happened in Lehigh's favor that felt like the decisive play of the game. Down 25-21, and senior P Tim Divers readying to punt, speedy Monmouth CB Tevrin Brandon blocked his punt - the ball deflecting almost straight up, then falling back down to earth behind the line of scrimmage, where alert senior FB Zach Hayden kept calm, grabbed the ball out of the air, and started to go for the first down marker. He did more than get enough yards for the first down.  He rumbled 37 yards, thus turning the momentum of the game completely on its head. Two plays later, senior QB Brandon Bialkowski hit senior WR Lee Kurfis with a 40 yard dagger to make the score 28-25. It would be a death blow from which Monmouth wouldn't recover. “I’ve been coaching and ...

(Photo Credit: Lehigh Valley Live) Preseason training camp is just around the corner for Lehigh, and it's a mere 36 days until the Mountain Hawks' season opener vs. Central Connecticut State. At no. 42, we find  senior FB Zach Hayden  as our highlighted Lehigh football athlete in today's countdown.

(Photo Credit: Liberty Athletics) Two top-notch programs in FCS. Two football programs that are on the map nationally. That's what the matchup down in Lynchburg, Virginia promises this Saturday evening when the Flames host the Mountain Hawks. It also happens to be a game of opposites. Lehigh, at 3-0, hasn't always looked like the No. 13 team in the country, but has done what it takes to win.  And 0-3 Liberty hasn't always looked like a winless team, but also hasn't gotten over the hump and made the one big play to get into the victory column this year.

This week's LFN Players of the Week awards go to: Offense: Senior QB Michael Colvin (17/32 passing, 221 yards passing, 56 yards rushing, 3 TDs/2 INTs) Offense: Senior WR Ryan Spadola (9 catches, 111 yards) Defense: Junior SS Rickie Hill (6 tackles, 1 INT, 1 pass defensed Defense: Senior LB Sam Loughery (8 tackles, 2 tackles for loss incl. 1 sack) Special Teams: Senior FB Zach Hayden (1 special teal tackle, 1 15 yard kickoff return) Underclassman:  Freshman WR Derek Knott (2 catches, 15 yards, 1 speedy TD, 2 kickoff returns, 22 yards) Congratulations to the winners!