Lehigh University Athletics
Competition Will Be Key as Lehigh Kicks Off Spring Practice on Friday
3/24/2017 10:27:00 AM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Coming off the program's 11th Patriot League football championship, and its first since 2011, the Lehigh football team is excited to get back to work as the Mountain Hawks prepare to open their spring practice segment Friday with the first of 15 scheduled practice dates. Lehigh enjoyed a 9-3 campaign in 2017, highlighted by a nine game winning streak, a second consecutive win over rival Lafayette and its first appearance in the FCS playoffs in five years, in addition to the league championship.
Head coach Andy Coen enters his 12th season with the benefit of having eight of the 10 players who earned All-Patriot League honors a season ago back in the mix. In addition, the Mountain Hawks enter the spring with one of their largest and healthiest roster sizes in recent years. Coen is hoping that the work his players put in during the offseason will show in a competitive and spirited spring segment.
"The coaches and players are always very excited to get back playing football," Coen said. "I'm looking forward to a very spirited spring. The last couple years our numbers were so low, we weren't able to do a ton of things. But this year we're going to go into spring ball with around 60 or 60-plus guys. So we're going to have a good opportunity, and that's going to lead us to a lot of competition. And that's really how guys can differentiate themselves from one another, if they get a chance to compete. So I think we're going to be able to do that very well throughout the spring.
"The development phase is still there, and we'll be able to develop the guys through competitiveness, through the competitive drills that we'll do," Coen continued. "The great part is every kid gets involved in the spring. Obviously we have 20 players more than we did a year ago, but even the numbers at 60 make it better. But we still have a lot of young guys, and we need to give them the opportunity to improve themselves and move from the spring and into the fall."
Lehigh will open spring practice with two new coordinators, although both coaches have spent the last three seasons on the staff. Scott Brisson takes over as offensive coordinator and will now work with the quarterbacks after a successful stint leading the wide receivers. Craig Sutyak took on the title of defensive coordinator, and will work closely with senior advisor Joe Bottiglieri and the rest of the defensive staff. The Mountain Hawks recently welcomed three new coaches to lead the wide receivers, running backs and special teams.
"I think there's going to be some newness there for the kids," Coen said. "With a lot of the freshmen, those kids are still trying to figure everything out. And now they're looking at — with some position groups — different coaches. So that's kind of a two-spoke thing there, that our guys really have to just pay attention to the coaches, and we haven't changed our schemes at all, so I think everybody will fit together very, very well.
"I'm excited for Scott Brisson to be our offensive coordinator," Coen continued. "I know he's already done a great job with Troy (Pelletier) and Gatlin (Casey) and all of our wide receivers over the last couple of years. He's just going to pick right up from coaching from the wide outs to the quarterbacks, and I think that'll be seamless for him. Defensively, we talked about some things at the end of the winter as a staff and those things we're seamless throughout our transition. We're going to tweak some things from a year ago that we think will make us better, based upon personality that we have now, the personnel that we have."
Last year's senior class had a major influence on the Mountain Hawks' success in 2016 and as Lehigh turns the page into 2017 they do so knowing that they will have three players returning for fifth years, including 2016 co-captains Zach Duffy and Brandon Short on the offensive line.
"I think that's a big plus for us, because it's like having another set of coaches," Coen said. "Those guys were very hungry last year to win a championship, and I think they're easily, and probably even more motivated this year to get them back to back."
Nose guard Jimmy Mitchell is the third player returning for a fifth year of eligibility.
Offensively, Lehigh returns a wealth of talent and experience from last year's team, including All-America wide receiver Troy Pelletier, All-Patriot League skill performers Gatlin Casey and Dominick Bragalone, and four-fifths of the offensive line. The Mountain Hawks lose Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year Nick Shafnisky, but rising junior Brad Mayes has performed capably, going 4-1 in five career starts including a record-setting passing day at Yale last October.
"It's going to look a little bit different with Brad (Mayes), who's earned the right to be our starting quarterback," Coen said. "He's done a tremendous job for us when he had the opportunity to play for us over the last couple of years. His skill set is a little bit different than Nick (Shafnisky)'s. Obviously (Shafnisky) is more of a runner. We want to maintain the integrity of the offense that we've been running, but (Mayes) is more of a drop back thrower type of guy."
Coen also mentioned increased opportunities to get Lehigh's tight ends, led by senior Drew Paulsen, integrated into the passing game. In addition, Lehigh loses two dependable slot receivers in Derek Knott and Trevor Socarras, so there will be competition there.
Lehigh's defense improved significantly in 2016, especially with the emergence of young talent in the secondary, but Coen realizes that the Mountain Hawks must do a better job stopping the run. The Mountain Hawks gave up more than 200 yards per game on the ground and while there is quality returning depth on the defensive line, the Mountain Hawks must replace the four seniors who comprised their linebacking corps and the rover position.
"The big thing for us is we need to do a better job with run defense," Coen said. "Last year, we wound up doing a great job in the secondary, but I think this year we really need to focus on containing the run, and then being able to get after the quarterback. What I'm expecting us to see, is to get inn situations where we can get after the quarterback a little bit more."
With 15 practices scheduled over the next month, Coen envisions three of those 15 being physical, scrimmage-type situations, health permitting, including the annual Brown and White spring game Apr. 22 in Goodman Stadium.
In the end, Lehigh hopes the increase in numbers will create an increase in competitiveness and continued improvement as the Mountain Hawks prepare to pursue a second straight league title in the fall.
"I've talked with all the kids at length that the fact that winning a second championship is much harder than winning that first one," Coen said. "We all know it took us so many years to get back to win another ring, and that's going to be a message that myself and the rest of the coaching group will be hammering. That you can't rest on your laurels. You just have to keep competing and be more competitive this year than you were last year. And that's really what our focus has to be on."
2017 Lehigh Football Spring Practice Schedule
Friday, March 24 – 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 25 – 9:30 a.m.
Monday, March 27 – 5:15 p.m.
Wednesday, March 29 – 5:15 p.m.
Friday, March 31 – 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 1 – 9:30 a.m.
Monday, April 3 – 5:15 p.m.
Friday, April 7 – 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 8 – 9:30 a.m.
Monday, April 10 – 5:15 p.m.
Friday, April 14 – 4:30 p.m.
Monday, April 17 – 5:15 p.m.
Wednesday, April 19 – 5:15 p.m.
Friday, April 21 – 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 22 – Spring Game^ - 11 a.m.
^inside Goodman Stadium
Please note that all practice dates, times and locations are subject to change due to adverse weather conditions and other factors.
Head coach Andy Coen enters his 12th season with the benefit of having eight of the 10 players who earned All-Patriot League honors a season ago back in the mix. In addition, the Mountain Hawks enter the spring with one of their largest and healthiest roster sizes in recent years. Coen is hoping that the work his players put in during the offseason will show in a competitive and spirited spring segment.
"The coaches and players are always very excited to get back playing football," Coen said. "I'm looking forward to a very spirited spring. The last couple years our numbers were so low, we weren't able to do a ton of things. But this year we're going to go into spring ball with around 60 or 60-plus guys. So we're going to have a good opportunity, and that's going to lead us to a lot of competition. And that's really how guys can differentiate themselves from one another, if they get a chance to compete. So I think we're going to be able to do that very well throughout the spring.
"The development phase is still there, and we'll be able to develop the guys through competitiveness, through the competitive drills that we'll do," Coen continued. "The great part is every kid gets involved in the spring. Obviously we have 20 players more than we did a year ago, but even the numbers at 60 make it better. But we still have a lot of young guys, and we need to give them the opportunity to improve themselves and move from the spring and into the fall."
Lehigh will open spring practice with two new coordinators, although both coaches have spent the last three seasons on the staff. Scott Brisson takes over as offensive coordinator and will now work with the quarterbacks after a successful stint leading the wide receivers. Craig Sutyak took on the title of defensive coordinator, and will work closely with senior advisor Joe Bottiglieri and the rest of the defensive staff. The Mountain Hawks recently welcomed three new coaches to lead the wide receivers, running backs and special teams.
"I think there's going to be some newness there for the kids," Coen said. "With a lot of the freshmen, those kids are still trying to figure everything out. And now they're looking at — with some position groups — different coaches. So that's kind of a two-spoke thing there, that our guys really have to just pay attention to the coaches, and we haven't changed our schemes at all, so I think everybody will fit together very, very well.
"I'm excited for Scott Brisson to be our offensive coordinator," Coen continued. "I know he's already done a great job with Troy (Pelletier) and Gatlin (Casey) and all of our wide receivers over the last couple of years. He's just going to pick right up from coaching from the wide outs to the quarterbacks, and I think that'll be seamless for him. Defensively, we talked about some things at the end of the winter as a staff and those things we're seamless throughout our transition. We're going to tweak some things from a year ago that we think will make us better, based upon personality that we have now, the personnel that we have."
Last year's senior class had a major influence on the Mountain Hawks' success in 2016 and as Lehigh turns the page into 2017 they do so knowing that they will have three players returning for fifth years, including 2016 co-captains Zach Duffy and Brandon Short on the offensive line.
"I think that's a big plus for us, because it's like having another set of coaches," Coen said. "Those guys were very hungry last year to win a championship, and I think they're easily, and probably even more motivated this year to get them back to back."
Nose guard Jimmy Mitchell is the third player returning for a fifth year of eligibility.
Offensively, Lehigh returns a wealth of talent and experience from last year's team, including All-America wide receiver Troy Pelletier, All-Patriot League skill performers Gatlin Casey and Dominick Bragalone, and four-fifths of the offensive line. The Mountain Hawks lose Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year Nick Shafnisky, but rising junior Brad Mayes has performed capably, going 4-1 in five career starts including a record-setting passing day at Yale last October.
"It's going to look a little bit different with Brad (Mayes), who's earned the right to be our starting quarterback," Coen said. "He's done a tremendous job for us when he had the opportunity to play for us over the last couple of years. His skill set is a little bit different than Nick (Shafnisky)'s. Obviously (Shafnisky) is more of a runner. We want to maintain the integrity of the offense that we've been running, but (Mayes) is more of a drop back thrower type of guy."
Coen also mentioned increased opportunities to get Lehigh's tight ends, led by senior Drew Paulsen, integrated into the passing game. In addition, Lehigh loses two dependable slot receivers in Derek Knott and Trevor Socarras, so there will be competition there.
Lehigh's defense improved significantly in 2016, especially with the emergence of young talent in the secondary, but Coen realizes that the Mountain Hawks must do a better job stopping the run. The Mountain Hawks gave up more than 200 yards per game on the ground and while there is quality returning depth on the defensive line, the Mountain Hawks must replace the four seniors who comprised their linebacking corps and the rover position.
"The big thing for us is we need to do a better job with run defense," Coen said. "Last year, we wound up doing a great job in the secondary, but I think this year we really need to focus on containing the run, and then being able to get after the quarterback. What I'm expecting us to see, is to get inn situations where we can get after the quarterback a little bit more."
With 15 practices scheduled over the next month, Coen envisions three of those 15 being physical, scrimmage-type situations, health permitting, including the annual Brown and White spring game Apr. 22 in Goodman Stadium.
In the end, Lehigh hopes the increase in numbers will create an increase in competitiveness and continued improvement as the Mountain Hawks prepare to pursue a second straight league title in the fall.
"I've talked with all the kids at length that the fact that winning a second championship is much harder than winning that first one," Coen said. "We all know it took us so many years to get back to win another ring, and that's going to be a message that myself and the rest of the coaching group will be hammering. That you can't rest on your laurels. You just have to keep competing and be more competitive this year than you were last year. And that's really what our focus has to be on."
2017 Lehigh Football Spring Practice Schedule
Friday, March 24 – 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 25 – 9:30 a.m.
Monday, March 27 – 5:15 p.m.
Wednesday, March 29 – 5:15 p.m.
Friday, March 31 – 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 1 – 9:30 a.m.
Monday, April 3 – 5:15 p.m.
Friday, April 7 – 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 8 – 9:30 a.m.
Monday, April 10 – 5:15 p.m.
Friday, April 14 – 4:30 p.m.
Monday, April 17 – 5:15 p.m.
Wednesday, April 19 – 5:15 p.m.
Friday, April 21 – 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 22 – Spring Game^ - 11 a.m.
^inside Goodman Stadium
Please note that all practice dates, times and locations are subject to change due to adverse weather conditions and other factors.
Players Mentioned
RB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
OL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
QB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
TE
/ Football
WR
/ Football
QB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
WR
/ FootballLehigh Sports Central: Football
Tuesday, December 02
MHT EP6 - Football
Thursday, November 20
Brown & Flight - Episode 4
Friday, November 14
Football Blitz
Friday, October 31
