Lehigh Football Nation

I remember, early on in my blogging career, when I thought I would be able to spend the many weeks of the so-called college football "offseason" just leaving the blog for months at a time, without updating. But the truth is, there is never really an "offseason."  Once the season is done, there's always something to talk about, even if there's no more football being played until spring practice. For the months following Lehigh's season-ending defeat to FCS Championship finalist Delaware in the playoffs, the focus has been recruiting, and the class of 2015.  And yesterday, we learned from Lehighsports.com the composition of the latest incoming class, too . So exactly, who did we get?  And what does everyone think?  You'll find out the answer to that - and more - below the flip. (more)

(Photo Credit: The Long Island Herald) On ESPN, there were only passing mentions to Punxutawney Phil , groundhogs, and the ice storm last week. In the world of hypercharged, BCS-fueled sports media, analysts waited with baited breath about Nick Saban's or Steve Spurrier's latest recruits, not the icy weather in the Northeast that would cancel or delay the many signing-day ceremonies that would constitute most collegiate-bound athletes in this area. But Phil's inability to see his shadow, coupled with the ice storm, meant for incoming Lehigh football recruits it was more of a week of a gradual trickle of letters being signed instead of one large fanfare of signings.  Not that it takes away from the quality of the incoming class that we know so far - far from it.  But it was a much more subdued affair than in years past. Let's summarize what we know about the incoming class of 2015. (more)

In a twist to the famous proverb "revenge is a dish best served cold," an icy, cold, possibly snowy weekend looks poised to have Lehigh's winter sports teams offer sweet revenge against American, the school that has bedeviled the Mountain Hawks and is rapidly becoming a winter sports rival. Before I get to the men's and women's basketball teams, however - who got the better of Lehigh the first Patriot League weekend of the year - it's worth noting that American has something else, too: a squad that head coach Mark Cody took from being on the brink of collapse into one that has produced an NCAA champion ( Josh Glenn , in 2007) and has become a Top 25 powerhouse in EIWA as well.  The Eagle wrestling program sits at No. 18, while Lehigh sits at No. 11. That means the path of all three Winter Sports titles this weekend goes through American. And, by definition, through the small, friendly, raucous confines of tiny Grace Hall at 1PM on Sunday. (more)

It's time again for one of my most popular blog postings of the year: the 2011 Patriot League Commit tracker, where I announce the incoming Patriot League classes, compiled from press reports from all over the nation, on what has unofficially become known as "Signing Day".  (This year, Signing Day is on February 2nd, and I'm releasing the first draft of my list six days early.) Below the flip, you'll have all the information I have on firm Patriot League commits that I have. It will have every name, every link, and every reference that I can track down for all seven schools (notably, this includes Fordham, still a member of the Patriot League but ineligible for the league crown due to the fact that they offer scholarships in football). And it will be updated often over the next few months, as soon as I get a link to their announcement from some (reputable) source. So click the link, and enjoy. (more)

(Photo Credit: Express-Times File Photo) It's always great to see great collegiate football talent stay home, and yesterday we learned that a fantastic athlete from nearby Palisades High School will be attending college just up the road. And, too, Lehigh announced another commit from an area that has been delivering the Mountain Hawks some solid talent over the past few years - Maryland. Let's get to know two new Lehigh football commits: WR Josh Parris and OL Ned Daryoush (more)

For the first time since 2005, Lehigh had a player in college football's longest-running all-star game. OL Will Rackley 's trip to Orlando, Florida to compete in the Florida Citrus Bowl was the first since  TE Adam Bergen 's, who is currently playing football professionally with the Las Vegas Locomotives of the UFL. While it's an honor to simply be invited to the 85th meeting between the East and West collegiate all-stars, Rackley by all published accounts made a very positive impression in the game. Whispers continue that his name will be called in April in the 2010 NFL draft. I caught up with Will and asked him about his experience. See what he had to say below the flip. (more)

(Photo Credit: Ron Schwane/The Medina (OH) Gazette) Two new commits have been signed by Lehigh in the past few days, according to Internet reports. One is a "Battling Bee" - as you can see to my left - and the other is nicknamed "T.O."  (The Tuscarora (MD) High School  product might want to consider ditching that nickname: the last T.O. that made his way to the Lehigh Valley didn't work out so well.   'Next question!' ) Read all about these two new commits as the class of 2015 starts to take shape. (more)