Lehigh University Athletics
Casey Changes The Game
9/8/2017 12:58:00 PM | Football
Lehigh-Monmouth Preview | Coach Andy Coen on Lehigh Sports Central
By Steve Lomangino, Lehigh Sports Communications
For more than 40 years the Lehigh football program has had a reputation for producing big time wide receivers. Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame members Steve Kreider '79 and Rennie Benn '86 established the precedent and standouts like Horace Hamm, Dave Cecchini, Brian Klingerman and Deron Braswell carried the torch through the 1990s. In recent years, Jake Drwal, Ryan Spadola and Lee Kurfis all produced 1,000-yard receiving campaigns, with Drwal and Spadola both eclipsing the mark in 2011, becoming the first set of Lehigh teammates to accomplish the feat in the same season.
Upon signing on to play at Lehigh, head coach Andy Coen promised Gatlin Casey and Troy Pelletier that they would be the next to continue the tradition of big-time wide receivers in the Brown and White. What may have been construed as recruiting coach-speak by some, came to fruition in a big way in 2016. Pelletier produced his first career 1,000 yard season, earned All-Patriot League honors for the third time and was recognized as an All-American; but it was Casey's emergence as a big play threat that played a significant role in Pelletier and Casey being the first classmates to reach the 1,000-yard receiving mark in the same season and helped lead the Mountain Hawks to a Patriot League title.
"When I signed, Coach showed Troy and I a list of previous 1,000 yard receivers and Lehigh had one almost every year," Casey said. "He told us that this is what we were going to be and I feel like Troy and I believed him and were actually able to do it. We were the first (classmates) to do it simultaneously. It's pretty cool that we changed the game and did it in the same year."
"Gatlin's tape was dynamic," Coen recalled. "Troy got to play as a freshman and the next year Gatlin had his opportunity and got thrown into it and did a really good job. As we went through last season we've learned he's become a really dynamic kick returner too. At times coaches will tell kids 'you're going to be able to do this,' but these guys were really able to go out and accomplish it."
In the recruiting process, Casey was searching for a school that combined high-level academics and a strong football program. With the help of Sam Budnyk, a Florida high school coach and Casey family friend who happened to have connections to Murray Goodman (Lehigh Trustee Emeritus for whom Goodman Stadium is named) Casey was introduced to Lehigh and the Lehigh coaches to Casey.
"I didn't really know a lot about the process, but my dad harped on places that had really good football and really good education," Casey recalled. "When Lehigh came into the picture it was exactly what we were looking for."
Casey hails from Navarre, Fla., in the northwestern part of the state. He's the fourth out of eight children (all the boys have names that start with "G" and all the girls' names start with "K"). While he did not see any game action as a freshman, Casey amassed 488 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games in 2015. The breakout came last season, as Casey teamed with Pelletier to form one of the top receiving duos in the nation. Both players ranked in the top 12 in receiving yards per game. While Pelletier topped the Patriot League in receptions and yards, Casey led Lehigh in yards per catch (18.3) and touchdown receptions (14), and he also topped the 1,000-yard mark, finishing with 1,135
"It's a really great system," Casey said of Lehigh's offensive attack. "It works well because (defenses) can't really key on one of us. They can't even key on the passing game as much because of Dom (Bragalone). It's really nice because they can't double cover one of us and if they do, one of us steps up and makes plays."
"We're pretty similar receivers, Pelletier added. "You can't just cover one of us. You can't double team one of us. If you do that you leave the other one open."
While forming this potent 1-2 punch, Casey is also fine with his partner Pelletier garnering the national attention.
"Troy doesn't mind attention and thrives with that," Casey said. "I'm fine being under the radar. I embrace that role and enjoy it more."
Quite simply, when Gatlin Casey found the end zone in 2016, Lehigh won. All 14 of his touchdown catches came in the Mountain Hawks' nine-game winning streak. A 148-yard effort against Princeton started a streak of four consecutive 100-yard receiving games. He also caught the go-ahead touchdown in Lehigh's title-clinching win over Bucknell. In addition, Casey added another dimension as Lehigh's primary kickoff returner. He averaged 24.5 yards per return on the way to first team all-league honors both at receiver and return specialist. He took a kickoff back 93 yards for a touchdown against Colgate, one of his four touchdowns in Lehigh's 45-31 win.
"Gatlin totally took off with the kick return game last year," Coen said. "I've told his father that I never realized how fast he was. He never put up big speed numbers but when he gets on the field, he's really dynamic and he's been able to do tremendous things for us."
Lehigh's team success in 2016 was aided largely by a number of remarkable individual campaigns. The Mountain Hawks ranked in the top 10 in the FCS in passing offense and total offense, and with many of the top performers returning, the pieces appear to be in place for another title run.
"We're just reloading and firing again," Casey said. "The weapons we have on offense are unbelievable. Our coaches have told us that they've never seen a group move this fast in camp. We know everything. We're experienced so I think it has helped us and will help us this year."
Casey's breakout season, and partnership with Pelletier has potentially opened another door. Both receivers are drawing looks from NFL scouts and may have the opportunity, like Kredier and Spadola before them, to compete at the next level.
If that doesn't work out, Casey is still getting that education he was also looking for. A biology major, he was originally looking at PA school but after taking a marketing minor has shifted interest towards medical sales.
"That fits my personality better," Casey said of his potential career path. He interned this past summer with GE Heathcare in his home state. "It's all about connections, but most of my experience was just shadowing sales and just learning how the whole process works."
Whether Casey ends up continuing his football career, or entering the working world after graduation, he's happy with all he's accomplished at Lehigh.
"Football is my priority right now," he explained. "I definitely want to have that backup plan but I really want to keep on playing. Troy and I feel like we've changed the game here and hope that will help the program moving forward. I feel like I've done pretty well in a tough major and also done well on the football field, so I've set the example that you can do both at Lehigh."
By Steve Lomangino, Lehigh Sports Communications
For more than 40 years the Lehigh football program has had a reputation for producing big time wide receivers. Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame members Steve Kreider '79 and Rennie Benn '86 established the precedent and standouts like Horace Hamm, Dave Cecchini, Brian Klingerman and Deron Braswell carried the torch through the 1990s. In recent years, Jake Drwal, Ryan Spadola and Lee Kurfis all produced 1,000-yard receiving campaigns, with Drwal and Spadola both eclipsing the mark in 2011, becoming the first set of Lehigh teammates to accomplish the feat in the same season.
Upon signing on to play at Lehigh, head coach Andy Coen promised Gatlin Casey and Troy Pelletier that they would be the next to continue the tradition of big-time wide receivers in the Brown and White. What may have been construed as recruiting coach-speak by some, came to fruition in a big way in 2016. Pelletier produced his first career 1,000 yard season, earned All-Patriot League honors for the third time and was recognized as an All-American; but it was Casey's emergence as a big play threat that played a significant role in Pelletier and Casey being the first classmates to reach the 1,000-yard receiving mark in the same season and helped lead the Mountain Hawks to a Patriot League title.
"When I signed, Coach showed Troy and I a list of previous 1,000 yard receivers and Lehigh had one almost every year," Casey said. "He told us that this is what we were going to be and I feel like Troy and I believed him and were actually able to do it. We were the first (classmates) to do it simultaneously. It's pretty cool that we changed the game and did it in the same year."
"Gatlin's tape was dynamic," Coen recalled. "Troy got to play as a freshman and the next year Gatlin had his opportunity and got thrown into it and did a really good job. As we went through last season we've learned he's become a really dynamic kick returner too. At times coaches will tell kids 'you're going to be able to do this,' but these guys were really able to go out and accomplish it."
In the recruiting process, Casey was searching for a school that combined high-level academics and a strong football program. With the help of Sam Budnyk, a Florida high school coach and Casey family friend who happened to have connections to Murray Goodman (Lehigh Trustee Emeritus for whom Goodman Stadium is named) Casey was introduced to Lehigh and the Lehigh coaches to Casey.
"I didn't really know a lot about the process, but my dad harped on places that had really good football and really good education," Casey recalled. "When Lehigh came into the picture it was exactly what we were looking for."
Casey hails from Navarre, Fla., in the northwestern part of the state. He's the fourth out of eight children (all the boys have names that start with "G" and all the girls' names start with "K"). While he did not see any game action as a freshman, Casey amassed 488 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games in 2015. The breakout came last season, as Casey teamed with Pelletier to form one of the top receiving duos in the nation. Both players ranked in the top 12 in receiving yards per game. While Pelletier topped the Patriot League in receptions and yards, Casey led Lehigh in yards per catch (18.3) and touchdown receptions (14), and he also topped the 1,000-yard mark, finishing with 1,135
"It's a really great system," Casey said of Lehigh's offensive attack. "It works well because (defenses) can't really key on one of us. They can't even key on the passing game as much because of Dom (Bragalone). It's really nice because they can't double cover one of us and if they do, one of us steps up and makes plays."
"We're pretty similar receivers, Pelletier added. "You can't just cover one of us. You can't double team one of us. If you do that you leave the other one open."
While forming this potent 1-2 punch, Casey is also fine with his partner Pelletier garnering the national attention.
"Troy doesn't mind attention and thrives with that," Casey said. "I'm fine being under the radar. I embrace that role and enjoy it more."
Quite simply, when Gatlin Casey found the end zone in 2016, Lehigh won. All 14 of his touchdown catches came in the Mountain Hawks' nine-game winning streak. A 148-yard effort against Princeton started a streak of four consecutive 100-yard receiving games. He also caught the go-ahead touchdown in Lehigh's title-clinching win over Bucknell. In addition, Casey added another dimension as Lehigh's primary kickoff returner. He averaged 24.5 yards per return on the way to first team all-league honors both at receiver and return specialist. He took a kickoff back 93 yards for a touchdown against Colgate, one of his four touchdowns in Lehigh's 45-31 win.
"Gatlin totally took off with the kick return game last year," Coen said. "I've told his father that I never realized how fast he was. He never put up big speed numbers but when he gets on the field, he's really dynamic and he's been able to do tremendous things for us."
Lehigh's team success in 2016 was aided largely by a number of remarkable individual campaigns. The Mountain Hawks ranked in the top 10 in the FCS in passing offense and total offense, and with many of the top performers returning, the pieces appear to be in place for another title run.
"We're just reloading and firing again," Casey said. "The weapons we have on offense are unbelievable. Our coaches have told us that they've never seen a group move this fast in camp. We know everything. We're experienced so I think it has helped us and will help us this year."
Casey's breakout season, and partnership with Pelletier has potentially opened another door. Both receivers are drawing looks from NFL scouts and may have the opportunity, like Kredier and Spadola before them, to compete at the next level.
If that doesn't work out, Casey is still getting that education he was also looking for. A biology major, he was originally looking at PA school but after taking a marketing minor has shifted interest towards medical sales.
"That fits my personality better," Casey said of his potential career path. He interned this past summer with GE Heathcare in his home state. "It's all about connections, but most of my experience was just shadowing sales and just learning how the whole process works."
Whether Casey ends up continuing his football career, or entering the working world after graduation, he's happy with all he's accomplished at Lehigh.
"Football is my priority right now," he explained. "I definitely want to have that backup plan but I really want to keep on playing. Troy and I feel like we've changed the game here and hope that will help the program moving forward. I feel like I've done pretty well in a tough major and also done well on the football field, so I've set the example that you can do both at Lehigh."
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