Coen named Coach of the Year; 18 on All-Patriot League teams
11/23/2010 9:31:00 PM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Patriot League Champion Lehigh football team placed a league-best 18 student-athletes on the All-Patriot League teams, announced Tuesday afternoon. In addition, Lehigh head coach Andy Coen has been named Patriot League Coach of the Year, as the league also announced its major award winners. The 18 All-League selections are the most since the Mountain Hawks had 15 All-League picks in 2004.
Coen has led Lehigh's resurgence in 2010, guiding the Mountain Hawks to a five win improvement over last season, and the program's first outright Patriot League title since 2001 and its first NCAA Playoff berth since 2004.In his fifth season, Coen led Lehigh to a 9-2 regular season record and a 5-0 mark in the Patriot League, marking Lehigh's first undefeated league season since 2001. The Mountain Hawks enter the FCS playoffs on a seven-game winning streak, its longest since 2004. Coen led Lehigh to a share of the Patriot League title in his first season as a head coach in 2006, and this year added his first outright title and Lehigh's league-leading ninth football championship. On Monday, Coen was named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, given to the FCS National Coach of the Year.
Lehigh's 18 All-Patriot League selections are split down the middle with nine on the first team and nine on the second team. Three Mountain Hawk seniors earned All-League honors for the third straight year: Will Rackley, Jarard Cribbs and John Kennedy.
Rackley, a co-captain anchors an offensive line that ranks among the national leaders in fewest sacks allowed. He has made 38 
consecutive starts, most of which have come as Lehigh's left tackle. Rackley is one of three Lehigh offensive linemen to be honored by the league. Senior guard Ricky Clerge joins Rackley on the first team, while junior center Jim Liebler earned a spot on the second team.
consecutive starts, most of which have come as Lehigh's left tackle. Rackley is one of three Lehigh offensive linemen to be honored by the league. Senior guard Ricky Clerge joins Rackley on the first team, while junior center Jim Liebler earned a spot on the second team. Cribbs earns a first-team spot at cornerback after leading the Patriot League and ranking second nationally with seven interceptions. The Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week on September 20, Cribbs picked off two passes against Princeton and had a three-game interception streak that culminated with a 48-yard interception return touchdown against Colgate on October 30.
Kennedy earns All-League honors for the third time in four seasons, but has actually won five All-League awards. This year, Kennedy was a first team selection as a kick returner and a second team selection at cornerback, marking the second straight year he was honored at both positions. He was also an All-League kick returner as a freshman. Kennedy ranks fourth nationally in kickoff returns and added 30 tackles and an interception from his corner position.
Lehigh starts four seniors in its secondary and in addition to its two cornerbacks, starting safeties Casey Eldemire and John Veniero both received second-team nods. Veniero has made 43 tackles and owns two interceptions and a team-leading three fumble recoveries, while Eldemire has made 35 stops and picked off his first pass of the season Saturday at Lafayette.
Offensively, the Mountain Hawks had three other first-team All-League selections in junior quarterback Chris Lum, senior tailback Jay Campbell and sophomore wide receiver Ryan Spadola.
Lum won the starting quarterback job in preseason and has performed admirably, leading Lehigh to victories in nine of his 10 starts, while throwing for 15 touchdowns and 2,252 yards. The Michigan native was twice named Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week and is averaging nearly 250 passing yards per game during Lehigh's current seven game win streak.
Spadola has been a breakout star for Lehigh in his sophomore season, as he has found himself on the receiving end of many of Lum's passes. He finished the regular season 69 yards short of becoming Lehigh's first 1,000 yard receiver since 2001. Spadola ranks second in the Patriot League in receptions and receiving yards per game and leads the Mountain Hawks with seven touchdowns.Campbell earns first-team honors at running back after averaging over four yards per carry and leading the Mountain Hawks with 582 yards on the ground. A second-team selection last year, Campbell has rushed for five touchdowns this year.
On defense, Cribbs was joined on the first team by standout middle linebackers Al Pierce and Mike Groome. If Spadola was a breakout star for the offense, Groome burst onto the scene to lead the Mountain Hawks defense. Groome leads Lehigh with 108 total tackles including 61 solo stops. He has six tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and an interception. Groome registered a career-high 16 tackles against Lafayette, the third most by a Lehigh player in a game in the last ten years.
Pierce has also been a dominant force on defense for the Brown and White, ranking second on the team with 86 tackles, while leading Lehigh with five sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss. Pierce was twice named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week, and was named MVP of the Lehigh-Lafayette game on Saturday after making a career-high 15 tackles.
Junior wide receiver Jake Drwal joins Liebler in representing the Lehigh offense on the second team. Drwal has been Lehigh's second leading receiver behind Spadola this season with 458 yards and two touchdowns on 42 receptions.
Defensively, linemen Andrew Knapp and Ben Flizack earned second-team honors along with linebacker Tanner Rivas. Knapp has been the iron man on the defensive line for the Mountain Hawks, starting all 11 games and making 29 tackles. Flizack has added 33 tackles including 5.5 for loss despite missing the last two games with an injury.
Rivas is the third Lehigh linebacker to earn a spot on the All-League team. He ranks second on the team in sacks (4.5) and tackles for loss (nine) and ranks fourth in total tackles with 62. He was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts against Colgate
Rounding out the list of Lehigh's All-League selections is junior punter Alex Smith, who has been a weapon for the Mountain Hawks, averaging 38.8 yards per punt. Smith has placed 21 out of 55 punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line and just ten of his punts have been returned this season.
Colgate picked up two of the three remaining major awards; with running back Nate Eachus named Offensive Player of the Year and defensive lineman Zach Smith earning Defensive Player of the Year honors. Bucknell quarterback Brandon Wesley was named the league's Rookie of the Year.
The Mountain Hawks (9-2) are preparing for their first round NCAA Playoff game Saturday at Northern Iowa. Kickoff is set for noon (CST) from UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The game can be heard on ESPN Radio 1230 and 1320 as well as online at Lehighsports.com.
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