Lehigh University Athletics
2010 Lehigh Football Spring Prospectus
4/15/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
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43 letterwinners and 17 starters are returning. Among them are six All-Patriot League honorees and one All-America selection. 100% of the team’s passing, 99% of its rushing and 92% of the receiving returns for a team that finished second in the Patriot League last season. To say expectations are high on South Mountain this spring would be spot on as the Lehigh football team gets to work with its eyes set firmly on capturing the 2010 Patriot League championship. Now in his fifth season at the helm, Mountain Hawks head coach Andy Coen has a wealth of talented experience to work with and a roster chock-full of players that are hungry to return to the top. As is always the case under Coen, Lehigh will be put through an intense spring segment, followed by a demanding summer session of weight lifting and conditioning drills to prepare this year’s Lehigh team for the upcoming 2010 season. Several positions need to be filled as the Mountain Hawks move through the spring and into preseason camp, but hopes are high for a team that was within two touchdowns of capturing the league crown a season ago.
DEFENSE
Without question the Lehigh defense carried the Mountain Hawks at times during the 2009 season. Led by perennial All-League performers Matt Cohen ’09 and BJ Benning ’09, Lehigh’s “D” led the entire nation in sacks and ranked 12th in tackles-for-loss. Those two stars are now gone but the cupboard is far from bare as eight starters return, including All-League selections Jarard Cribbs, John Kennedy and Troy Taylor. In addition, 11 of Lehigh’s top 15 tacklers from last year are coming back, which is a scary thought for opposing offenses. Defensive Coordinator Dave Kotulski has molded the Mountain Hawks defense into a fast, physical unit that swarms to the ball and constantly gets to the quarterback and all signs point to more of the same in 2010.
Defensive Line
BJ Benning will undoubtedly be missed along the line, as will Steven Brown ’09 who finished his Lehigh career out with a strong senior season. But a large number of Mountain Hawk youngsters saw plenty of time last season, beginning with senior David Brown. One of the largest players on Lehigh’s roster, Brown showed that when healthy, he is a force to be reckoned with as he made 23 stops as a junior, to go along with two sacks.
Juniors Cody Connare and Andrew Knapp had breakout seasons in ’09 as Connare registered 35 tackles and 3.0 sacks and Knapp made 26 tackles to go along with 3.5 sacks. One of Connare’s best games came versus traditional Ivy League power Harvard when the Ohio native made a season best four tackles, while Knapp totaled five stops and 2.5 sacks in that same game versus the Crimson.
Senior Ben Flizack saw time in several games as a junior at linebacker, but with added bulk and a good deal of athleticism, he should be a nice addition along the line. Classmate Billy Dokouslis missed the 2009 campaign but possesses very good speed for someone his size, while Phil Winnett, another senior that has missed the last two seasons is expected to be back at full strength.
Others expected to get their shot beginning this spring include junior Will Reich, who was moved to defense during the offseason, and sophomores Tom Bianchi, Collin Bremer, Sajjad Chagani and Anthony Verderame.
Linebacker
Injuries hampered the Lehigh linebacking corps for most of the 2009 season, but the Mountain Hawks should reap those benefits from here on out as a number of younger players were afforded the opportunity to learn on the fly last year. In addition to those younger Mountain Hawks now being a year older, seniors Al Pierce and Troy Taylor return for their fifth seasons to lead the Lehigh defense. Pierce was hit by the injury bug as hard as anyone in ’09, but he made the most of his time on the field. One of the fastest Mountain Hawk linebackers, the New Jersey native totaled 35 tackles, including 5.5-for-loss and 2.5 sacks last season. He saved his best game for last when he registered a career-high 12 tackles, including one-for-loss, as well as the game-clinching interception in Lehigh’s win over archrival Lafayette. That performance earned Pierce his first career Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week award.
Taylor returned from a knee injury he suffered in 2008 to lead the Mountain Hawks in tackles last season with 69. After feeling his way through the first handful of games Taylor exploded in the final five as he registered 46 total stops, including an 11-tackle effort in the dramatic win over the rival Leopards. Taylor had two double-digit tackle games on the season and also made 8.0 tackles-for-loss and 2.0 sacks.
Lehigh’s junior class of ‘backers was thrust into action a little earlier than expected last season but that should pay huge dividends in 2010. Pittsburgh native Devin Greene saw the most time of that bunch as he started four games and made 45 tackles, including 8.0 for-loss, as well as 2.5 sacks and one interception. A Social Psychology major, Greene registered a season-high 13 tackles against Yale and a season best 2.5 sacks in a win at Fordham. Colin Newton was moved to outside linebacker early in 2009 and used his intense on-field demeanor to contribute 44 tackles, 2.5 sacks and two pass breakups. A Florida native, Newton registered a season high ten tackles, including 0.5 sack, against Harvard and he added seven stops at Colgate.
Juniors Mike Groome and Tanner Rivas figure to be major contributors for Lehigh this season after the pair combined for 32 tackles in ’09. Groome made five stops against Harvard, but the unquestioned highlight of his season was a fourth-and-goal stuff of a rush attempt in the win over Lafayette. Rivas meanwhile had six games with more than one tackle, including a season high six versus Central Connecticut State.
Another junior, Fred Mihal was slotted in at tight end during last season, but has since been moved back to linebacker and the Mountain Hawks coaching staff is looking forward to big things from this physical ‘backer. Sophomore Billy Boyko had a strong first season for the Brown and White, appearing mainly on special teams, but the Lehigh Valley product has good speed and added weight to his frame in the off season, making him a prime candidate to see plenty of time in 2010.
Other linebackers to keep an eye on are senior Robert Tulcin and sophomores Adam Francis, Jerard Gordon, Sam Loughery and Bari Nenbee, who was moved to outside linebacker during the off season.
Secondary
When the Lehigh coaching staff goes in search of players for its secondary, they are looking for kids that can run and are physical. This year’s group of defensive backs and safeties fits that bill, beginning with seniors Jarard Cribbs and John Kennedy. Never short on confidence, this pair has been on the field since they first set foot on Lehigh’s campus and last year both earned All-League merits. Cribbs, a native of Maryland who also doubles as Lehigh’s punt returner, finished his junior year with 45 tackles, two picks and nine pass breakups, which ranked among the Patriot League’s leaders. He posted five games with five or more tackles, including a season best six in a win at Fordham and also returned 38 punts for a league-leading 8.2 per return.
A former track-and-field standout, Kennedy has blazing speed which was on display last year when he took a kick-off 92 yards to pay dirt for his first collegiate touchdown. A Philadelphian, Kennedy registered 34 tackles, three pass breakups, one fumble recovery and one INT last season. He also led the Patriot League in kick-off return average at 25.0 yards per and totaled over 100 return yards on two occasions. With this pair of seniors patrolling the defensive backfield, Lehigh possesses two of the top cover corners in the entire Patriot League.
Playing behind Cribbs and Kennedy will be senior safety John Veniero who started all 11 games in 2009. A big, physical player at 210 pounds, Veniero finished third on the Mountain Hawks with 62 total tackles as a junior. He also picked off a team-leading three passes, including one in Lehigh’s win over Lafayette. A Political Science major, Veniero posted a season best ten tackles versus Central Connecticut State and also intercepted the first pass of his college career.
Senior Casey Eldemire and junior Jonathan Littlejohn are two candidates to fill out the other safety spot opposite Veniero. Eldemire appeared in all 11 games as a junior and responded with 29 tackles, including 24 of the solo variety. Eldemire, who had at least one tackle in every game, also had one sack and two interceptions. Littlejohn, who possesses good speed, made six tackles last season, including three in a win at Fordham.
Senior Shane Ryan and sophomore speedster Bryan Andrews figure to see plenty of time this coming season as well. A former walk-on, Ryan has worked his tail off to become a contributor for Lehigh. Last season he appeared in eight games, making a season best three tackles in a win at Bucknell. Andrews’ best days are ahead of him after the Georgia native had a strong debut season in the Brown and White. A terrific athlete, Andrews did whatever was asked of him as a freshman, totaling 11 tackles, three pass breakups, one blocked kick and an interception. His best effort came at Fordham where he registered a season best four tackles and three pass breakups and was named Patriot League Rookie of the Week for his performance.
Others to keep an eye on in the secondary include junior Isadore Carrie, who missed all of last season due to injury and classmate Kenyatta Drake, as well as sophomores Mike Hanhauser, Gabe Johnson, Brendan Kelly and Billy O’Brien.
OFFENSE
The Lehigh offense had its fair share of ups and downs in 2009, from not scoring a single point in one game to eclipsing the 350-yard mark in total offense in four others. The Mountain Hawks offense was a group made up of a large number of underclassmen that suffered through growing pains at times, but rebounded to have its top performances of the year down the stretch. With nine starters returning, including nearly the entire offensive line, as well as former Lehigh All-American Dave Cecchini ’95, who returned in February to serve as the new Offensive Coordinator, the Mountain Hawks are looking to become a more consistent and explosive unit than it has been in years past.
Offensive Line
With four of five starters returning, including two of the top linemen in the entire Patriot League, Lehigh’s offensive line figures to be a strength of the 2010 Mountain Hawks. Senior Will Rackley leads the way after garnering his second consecutive All-League honor as well as an All-America selection last year. At 6-4, 310 pounds Rackley is an imposing figure with incredible strength and quickness. The Georgia native has been a starter since his freshman year and is widely considered to be among the top tackles in the entire nation. Classmate Ricky Clerge earned his first All-League laurel a season ago as he helped pave the way for a Lehigh offense that averaged over 320 total yards per contest. Clerge is another 300-pounder who has gotten more polished each year in the Brown and White. He is expected to anchor one of the guard spots along the line.
R.J. McNamara and Keith Schauder round out the senior class of linemen after both had solid junior campaigns, earning starting spots towards the latter part of the season. McNamara stands 6-4 and will compete for the starting tackle position opposite Rackley, while Schauder will battle with junior Jim Liebler for time at center. Liebler started several games last season at center giving the Lehigh coaches multiple options at the position.
Juniors Troy McKenna and Vinny Pellegrini will also battle for starting spots. McKenna, who stands 6-4, earned a number of starts in 2009, while Pellegrini, who is one of the larger linemen on the Mountain Hawks roster at 315 pounds, has battled injuries through his first two seasons but is now healthy and primed for a breakout year.
Junior Stephen Ganoe and sophomores Joe Larach, Thomas Ruley, Lex Utt and Mike Vuono round out this spring’s crop of offensive linemen.
Tight Ends
The Lehigh coaching staff has the luxury of working with a great group of tight ends, headlined by senior Alex Wojdowski. The 235-pounder led the Mountain Hawks with seven receiving touchdowns in 2009, including one in the overtime win versus rival Lafayette. Wojdowski is a big target at 6-2 with 13 career touchdowns and has developed into one of Lehigh’s most reliable pass catchers. Classmate Brandon Radke is looking to return to top form after missing last season with an injury. At 6-4 he is the tallest of the bunch.
Junior Mark Wickware and sophomore Jamel Haggins round out the group of tight ends. Wickware has been a mainstay on special teams since his freshman year and last season he hauled in his first career pass in a win over Georgetown. The New Jersey product has impressed the coaching staff with the growth he’s shown through his first two seasons in the Brown and White. Haggins was a pleasant surprise in his freshman year. One of the more athletic tight ends, the Philadelphia product saw plenty of time on special teams last season and continued to improve his blocking as the season wore on. Expect to see him take the next step beginning this spring.
Receivers
A group of unproven pass catchers entered the 2009 spring season with plenty of questions to answer. A confident collection of playmakers emerged from the 2009 regular season with expectations heightened as they begin preparations for the new year. Senior Craig Zurn and juniors Jake Drwal and De’Vaughn Gordon made the biggest impact last season for Lehigh. One of the toughest players on the roster, Zurn is a jack-of-all-trades with the skills to pass catch, run the ball and return kicks. He racked up 501 total yards as a junior, including 371 on 33 receptions. A local product, Zurn busted off a 41-yard kick return at Bucknell and scored two touchdowns in 2009. He’s expected to be one of the Mountain Hawks starting wideouts.
Drwal led the Mountain Hawks in receptions (47) and receiving yards (641) as a sophomore. A tough-nosed player who isn’t afraid to go over the middle and take a big hit, Drwal has good size at 6-1 and enough speed to separate from opposing defensive backs. He posted two games of 100+ yards last season, including in the victory over Lafayette where he made numerous timely catches to sustain drives. Flanking Drwal on the other side is the speedy Gordon who hauled in 34 catches for more than 500 yards in 2009. Gordon, who is also used in the rush attack at times, is one of the fastest players in the entire Patriot League and totaled a career-best 100 receiving yards in the Mountain Hawks rival win over the Leopards.
Juniors Jimmy Jefferson and Preston Soeprasetyo are the two tallest wideouts of the bunch with each standing at least 6-4. Jefferson is fully recovered from an injury that cost him his entire freshman season and gives the Lehigh quarterbacks a huge target to throw to. Soeprasetyo hauled in his first career pass last season in a win over Georgetown. Like Jefferson he continues to improve and figures to see more time beginning this spring.
Rounding out the receiver group are sophomores Dan Cintron, Marvin Pierre and Ryan Spadola. Cintron is the burner of the group, while Piere and Spadola are bigger, more physical receivers. Spadola appeared on special teams more and more as his freshman season wore on and also caught one pass against Holy Cross. These three youngsters figure to be in the mix for the next several seasons.
Running Backs/Fullbacks
As was the case with Lehigh’s receiving group, the Mountain Hawks running back contingent was unproven on paper heading into the spring of ’09. Fast forward one calendar year and Coen and the Lehigh coaches have a great problem on their hands: a stable of hard-nosed, shifty backs that can gain tough yards and are all hungry for playing time.
Senior Jay Campbell is coming off a break-out junior campaign in which he led the Mountain Hawks with 659 yards on the ground and earned a spot on the All-Patriot League Teams. Campbell has never stopped working since he first came to Lehigh and his efforts have paid off as evidenced by his three games of 100+ yards in 2009. His best game was a 155-yard performance in a win at Fordham on a slick turf and he’ll be in the mix for the starting tailback spot.
Campbell’s classmate Jaren Walker has followed an up-and-down path throughout his career at Lehigh. A former Patriot League Rookie of the Week as a freshman, Walker missed nearly his entire sophomore season due to injury and was inconsistent last year. At 210 pounds, the Las Vegas product has the tools to be a punishing runner and with his senior season now here, the time has arrived for him to put those skills on display.
Junior Matt Fitz is one of the top athletes in the running back group and has strong pass catching skills out of the backfield. Last season he carried the ball nine times and also hauled in eight receptions. At 6-1, 200 pounds Fitz has good size and he’ll have a chance to earn plenty of playing time this coming season. Sophomore Zach Barket seemed to get better every time he was on the field last season, highlighted by a 21-carry, 77-yard day in a win at Bucknell that earned him the Patriot League’s Rookie of the Week award. Barket totaled over 150 yards on the ground throughout the season and is expected to take the next step beginning this spring.
Sophomores Tony Kablan and Marcus Dormevil round out the running back corps. Kablan has good speed, which is a nice compliment to Lehigh’s bigger backs, and will make a push for increased time in 2010, while Dormevil joined the squad as a walk-on last year and was so impressive during practice that he earned the Offensive Scout Team’s MVP award.
The fullback spot is up for grabs as Lehigh makes its way through the spring and into preseason camp. Bryce Arruda is the elder statesmen of the two candidates as a junior, and he appeared in eight games in 2009, mainly on special teams. Sophomore Alex Petroff was moved to fullback during the offseason and he’ll battle it out with Aruda for playing time all season long.
Quarterbacks
With four talented quarterbacks, including three that saw significant time last season, returning this spring, competition figures to be fierce as they compete for the title of starting signal caller. Coen has not been shy about announcing this position is up for grabs and he expects the open competition will make for some interesting and exciting days on the practice field. Senior JB Clark has the most experience of the bunch with nearly 4,000 passing yards to his credit. The native of Florida earned his second consecutive Lehigh – Lafayette MVP trophy last fall after throwing for 292 yards, two scores and no interceptions in the win over the Leopards. But the 6-4 QB suffered through his fair share of tough times as well, losing his starting spot midway through the season. To his credit Clark continued to work extremely hard on and off the field, rebounding to finish the season strong, but Coen will look for him to hit the ground running from the start in 2010.
Junior Chris Lum has plenty of talent, as he possesses a strong arm and the knack for alluding would-be tacklers in the pocket. Those skills earned the Michigan product three starts in 2009 and he responded with 564 yards and five scores, including a season best 269 yards vs. Harvard. Like Clark though, Lum struggled at times to move the Lehigh offense. Now a year older and wiser, Lum will push Clark day-in and day-out as the two compete for the starting spot under center.
Sophomore Mike Colvin and senior Trace Cisneros are the final two quarterbacks for Lehigh. A very solid athlete Colvin had a strong start to his Lehigh career, appearing mainly in running situations as a freshman and totaling 227 yards and one score during that time. He earned a pair of Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors but unfortunately had his season cut short due to injury. The 6-3 QB is still rounding back into form but he figures to be at full strength when the regular season kicks off and is cause for concern for opposing defenses with his dual threat ability. Cisneros has now been in the Lehigh system for four years and continues to improve his skills. A 6-4 lefty, Cisneros has a soft touch to his passes.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Lehigh’s return game figures to be a major asset for the Mountain Hawks this coming season. Senior Jarard Cribbs led the Patriot League in punt return average as a junior and is one of the shiftier players on the roster. Classmates John Kennedy and Craig Zurn held down the kick return spots last season with Kennedy handling the majority of the load and earning an All-League selection in the end. With his sprinter speed, Kennedy figures to give opposing coordinators fits as they attempt to contain him.
Junior Alex Smith will handle the punting duties after a very solid sophomore year in which he booted 62 punts for over 2,100 yards. His season long was a 53-yarder at Fordham and 20 of his punts were downed inside the opponents’ 20-yard line. Now a year older and stronger, Smith figures to be a crucial weapon on the Mountain Hawks special teams.
Senior Tom Randazza and sophomore Jake Peery will compete for kick-off and placekicking duties, with each having seen plenty of time last season. Randazza scored 15 points on the year, including a career-best 41-yard field goal at Villanova, and he handled the majority of the Mountain Hawks kick-offs. Peery meanwhile made nearly all of his extra point attempts and also booted four field goals. He has a strong leg and should only improve with one year under his belt.
Junior Chris Lum held down the holder spot for parts of 2008 and all of 2009, while senior John Veniero handled long snapping duties a season ago. Sophomore Zach Belair, who joined the team during the 2009 season, will compete with Veniero for the long snapper position.
For the complete 2010 Lehigh Football Spring Prospectus, please click on the link above
