Lehigh University Athletics
No longer the "new" guy
9/19/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
When a player transfers into a new school and becomes the starting quarterback, there is going to be pressure coming from many different directions, particularly when that school has a quarterback tradition like Lehigh and is in the midst of four consecutive Patriot League Championships. To say there were going to be weighty demands placed upon this young man’s shoulders would be an understatement.
So, when senior quarterback Chad Schwenk came out a season ago and threw for over 1,600 yards and 11 touchdowns and led Lehigh to eight victories, one would have to think there could be no criticism or nitpicking directed at the man under center. It appeared as though Schwenk had lived up to the pressure and answered all callers. However, Schwenk was the target of certain critical remarks and even some blame from different outlets as the season wore on. Fans and media wondered how someone who came to South Bethlehem from a Division I school like Rutgers University, in a major conference like The Big East, did not manage to continue the dynasty that had become Lehigh University Football. "It took some time for me to learn the system here," explains Schwenk. "I had to get acclimated with the strength of the line, which is a bigger adjustment than most people realize, and take countless repetitions to become more and more comfortable with all of the reads and formations. But now after having been here for a few years, I know exactly what we are trying to do".
When Schwenk came to Lehigh, he returned to the Lehigh Valley, a place he knows rather well having attended nearby Whitehall High School. One of Schwenk’s coaches while he was there, Bob Panny, has known Chad for some time and always knew that he would do something special. "Chad is a terrific kid that I have known ever since he was in middle school," Panny says. "He is very intelligent, a great leader and is just a joy to be around." Panny adds, "Chad knows that he has a lot of eyes on him from being around the area, but he just continues to grow and mature to become the best player and person possible. We have developed a great relationship over the years, and I look forward to watching him this season."
Schwenk is proud to be back home and to represent the local university on the football field, but also understands that there is added pressure on someone in his position. Schwenk explains, "I am definitely conscience of the fact that I am a local product and may be under more scrutiny than someone from outside the Valley, but I try and not listen to criticism." He adds, "I just go out and play my role with the offense and try to help the team accomplish its goals. We pride ourselves on being a family here at Lehigh, a real tight-knit group, and we are always behind each other through everything."
Even with a strong desire to succeed and continued support from teammates, Schwenk, a supply chain management major, still had to learn the Lehigh offense, which is the equivalent of someone coming to Lehigh and mastering a course in astrophysics in a matter of days. A pair of former Lehigh quarterbacks knows just what Schwenk was going through. "What people have to understand is that the Lehigh offense is very complicated, with many different variations on the way it attacks the defense," explains former Lehigh standout and current radio analyst Marty Horn ’86. "Chad did struggle at times last year, but I remember watching Phil Stambaugh (’00) play and how he struggled with the offense. The coaches had to simplify the plan and Phil wound up re-writing the record books at Lehigh and in the Patriot League. The coaches knew it would take some time for Chad to pick up this system, but he’s learning and you have to love this kid’s heart and determination." Horn also likes the physical size and skills of the 6’1", 200-pounder, "Chad has all of the tools to be a great quarterback. He has good size, a strong arm and tremendous mobility to escape pressure in the pocket."
Kim McQuilken ‘74, who later played in the NFL, also knows the difficulties in trying to master this Lehigh offense, but he feels that there are benefits that come from it. "After I graduated and went on to the NFL, my transition was not as hard as it was for the other quarterbacks because they played in a running system in college," McQuilken explains. "With the Lehigh passing attack, I was forced to think for myself and develop not only as a player, but as a person. Isn’t that what education is supposed to be about, allowing these young men to think for themselves and develop their minds? The offensive system is difficult to pick up, but it makes thinkers out of the players, especially the quarterback, and that is a great benefit to these young men that many other students do not receive while they are in college." The fact that Schwenk sports a 3.50 GPA in the classroom can only help him in trying to "tackle" the tough Lehigh system.
With a full season under his belt and a plethora of skilled position players, Schwenk has all of the tools at his disposal to make this a special season. One of the team’s many talented wide receivers, George Evans, feels that Schwenk is fully settled in at his new surroundings and ready to put last season behind him. "Chad is constantly trying to improve by going into the coaches’ offices to watch film and make himself a better player," Evans says. He rarely, if ever, speaks of anything that bothers him regarding any criticism from last year, because he understands that those people have no idea what kind of pressure the quarterback must deal with."
Schwenk has developed a great friendship with Evans, both on and off the field, as he has with all of his teammates, and this only makes the team stronger once they step between the lines. We talk about how we can make particular plays better when we are not on the field or at practice", Evans points out. "Chad is always making suggestions about how I can improve a specific pattern, in terms of spacing and timing, in order for him to get me the ball easier, and he is always open to us (the receiving corps) to voice our opinions on what we can do to make all of our jobs less complicated."
Despite having to familiarize himself with the system, dealing with a depleted group of receivers, and even battling through personal injuries, Schwenk had several very strong performances along the way in 2002. There was a 15 of 20 passing day for 288 yards and four touchdowns in a blow out win over Georgetown in addition to four come from behind victories against very formidable competition, including Division I-A Buffalo, Ivy League foes Princeton and Harvard and eventual Patriot League champion Fordham. Schwenk’s poise and demeanor were a perfect reflection of last year’s team. No. 6 never let himself get too down and he never got rattled. That trait rubbed off on his teammates and led to those eight victories and another successful year for the Mountain Hawks. After a very productive summer of practice, all signs point to Schwenk being ready to do something special this season. The sky is the limit for this senior who has fully settled in after returning home and is ready to lead his "family" to new heights in 2003.
