Lehigh University Athletics
From Head Coach Pete Lembo
3/25/2005 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Dear Alumni and Friends,
Greetings from Bethlehem. While it is hard to imagine with the continued winter-like conditions, we are gearing up for spring practice which begins next Tuesday. It is likely that we will need to utilize the Ulrich turf stadium for our first few practices while the Whitehead practice fields dry up. Hopefully, Mother Nature will cooperate in the coming weeks.
We have had a very positive and productive off season so far this semester. I like the work ethic this group has demonstrated so far in the weight room and in our early morning agility sessions. Many players have made noticeable improvements under the guidance of our strength and conditioning coaches.
As most of you are aware, several key linemen on both sides of the ball have completed their eligibility and will be graduating this May. This group includes four first team All-Conference players. Some veteran defensive players at skill positions depart as well, so our depth will also be tested at linebacker and in the secondary. Fortunately, most offensive skill players return to the line up. The most glaring departures there are tight end Adam Bergen, who is likely to be drafted by an NFL squad in April, and punter/quarterback Kyle Keating.
While our losses to graduation are significant, our returning players are anxious to get back out on the field and begin to establish a new identity for the 2005 team. Our spring program goals include improving consistency, developing physical and mental toughness, and thoroughly evaluating each player in the program.
In conjunction with these changes in personnel, we have made a slight change in the structure of the offensive staff. I have asked special teams coordinator Adam Scheier to switch his position coaching responsibilities from running backs to wide receivers. Adam coached the wide outs at Princeton before joining our staff three years ago. With our entire wide receiver corps returning, there are sure to be some tough decisions to be made in terms of utilization and playing time. I trust Adam to make those decisions as well as to challenge this key position group to perform at a higher level in 2005.
Assistant coach RJ Ryan '99 will move over to tight ends coach after working closely under offensive line coach John Powers last season. RJ played tight end in our system and has earned the trust of the entire coaching staff. By coaching his own position in the coming year, RJ will continue to develop his professional skills. I also plan to expand his recruiting responsibilities. I will relinquish my duties with the tight ends and move back to coaching the running backs, the same position I handled when I originally came to Lehigh in 1998.
I am very pleased to report that assistant coach Ed Lynett has recently been named the defensive coordinator at Iona College. Ed has held one of our four restricted earnings positions the last two seasons. These jobs are truly entry level internships that include minimal pay, lots of grunt work and long hours. Our goal is to give these young coaches like RJ and Ed an opportunity to learn and contribute to our program both on and off the field.
Full-time coaching positions in our profession are very hard to obtain, so we are excited that Ed has sharpened his skills to the point where he is ready to take the next step in his career. Ed joins a terrific group of recent restricted earnings coaches who have moved on to full-time positions in recent years. The others include Brian Newberry (Washington & Lee), Mark Elder (Wayne State) and Mike Long (Wingate). We are very proud of their accomplishments.
In other program news, I am excited to share that former head coach Kevin Higgins was named the head football coach at The Citadel on Thursday. Kevin had spent the last four years as an assistant with the Detroit Lions. Kevin and I have remained very close since he left Lehigh, and I am very happy for him and his family. The Citadel is a fully funded scholarship program and a member of the Southern Conference, one of the premier I-AA leagues in the country. The recent Southern Conference institutions we have faced on the gridiron are Furman (2001) and Wofford (1998, 2000).
This year's spring Brown and White game is set for Saturday, April 23rd at 12:30pm. It will conclude our 15 spring practice opportunities. As always, we will hold a football career night for the players the night before. We are also planning an ALS fund raising event in conjunction with the Brown and White game. I will forward more details about this fund raiser in the next few weeks.
It was a pleasure to speak with many of you on the phone during our recent phone-a-thon efforts in February and March. If we were unable to catch up with you, keep in mind that you have until June 30th to make a gift and have it count for the 2004-2005 fiscal year. We are hoping to increase participation from football alumni to 20% this year, which I hope you agree is a modest goal.
Several returning players are still seeking summer jobs and internships in the Lehigh Valley and elsewhere. Your assistance with these efforts is critical. If you know of any opportunities in your area or with your company, please let me know immediately. The summer is the only time our players have to gain valuable work experience and to build their resumes for the future.
I hope to see you at the spring game if not before. If you are in town before then and would like to stop by practice, please feel free to to so. You can get an up to date practice schedule by calling Eileen Biro at 610-758-4290. The typical weekend schedule will be Friday afternoon, Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon (in an effort to avoid class conflicts).
Thanks for your ongoing interest and support.
Sincerely,
Pete
