Creatively Creating His Own Lehigh Experience
11/25/2019 3:51:00 PM | Football, Features, Intellectual Development
By Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Sports Communications
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Riley O'Neil likes to think creatively. Whether it's on the football field or as a design major, O'Neil is at his best when he has creative freedom.
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"What I really like about design is there's not necessarily a correct answer," he said. "Not getting the exact answer of certain problems was something I struggled with early in college. But with design, it's up to anybody's interpretation and whatever you hand in, you believe it's your best work and you can't really be wrong. It gives you a sense of freedom, sense of personality and identity that I really enjoy. It lets you be yourself."
Â
"Yourself" for Riley O'Neil is a four-year starter on the Mountain Hawks' defense, someone who started on back-to-back Patriot League Championship teams to begin his career, and has helped guide the program back to contention this season.
Â
O'Neil and the senior class, when they were freshmen, had the benefit of learning under a number of strong veteran leaders.
Â
"I was on campus the summer leading into my freshman year and got to hang out with Zach Duffy, Brandon Short and all those guys," said O'Neil. "Being around successful players early, and seeing the work ethic and focus it took to succeed, really helped me out. I was able to transfer the knowledge I gained in the summer into that first camp."
Â
O'Neil started at safety from day one, picking off two passes as a freshman and earning Patriot League Rookie of the Week in October after recording six tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery against Colgate.
Â
After a strong start, O'Neil has only improved over the last four years, growing as a player and maturing as an individual.
Â
"I've gotten a lot more comfortable," he said. "You start out there as a freshman and can get overwhelmed by the moment. Getting a lot of snaps over my four years, I've become really comfortable out there. That experience has allowed me to play the game I want to play."
Â
Off the field, O'Neil has made similar, if not even greater, strides.
Â
"I believe I've grown a lot as a person, maybe more than others," he said. "You come from high school, you're 'the man' and one of the best players on your team. You may be cocky and a little overconfident. Over these four years, I've grown into the leader I am today. Getting voted captain this preseason was a big honor.
Â
"All the different experiences have made me a better person, a better man, more mature and ready to take on whatever's next."
Â
Before looking ahead to the future, it's important to understand O'Neil's value in the present. First-year head coach Tom Gilmore has benefited from Riley O'Neil the player, and person, who has served as a valuable resource for the younger student-athletes.
Â
"Experience is really important, not only for Riley to perform in his position, but to also help other guys during the course of a play by making pre-snap adjustments," said Gilmore. "Also off the field in between series and in practice, Riley has been able to relay what he's seeing and help get everyone on the same page. Even though we're running a little bit different system this year, his game experience has been very, very valuable."
Â
"Riley has played a lot of snaps, so that gives the guys on defense a lot of confidence in him as a leader," said fifth-year senior Sam McCloskey. "He's seen both the good and bad days of our program, and that gives him a different perspective compared to most guys."
Â
O'Neil has experienced it all. Going through so much only increases perspective… and makes you stronger.
Â
"If anybody is looking for advice on the student-athlete experience, I believe anyone in my class would be able to give the full rundown," said O'Neil. "I hopefully can speak for everyone that it's been a very humbling experience. Especially coming in early, you win a championship your first season and think you're going to do this all four years. It was followed by another championship, but not nearly as exciting of a season. Junior year was probably the worst season you could ask for as a player results-wise, especially following two titles.
Â
"Going through everything, you remain humble and keep following the process," O'Neil continued. "My class and I have experience different cultures and we've done a good job embracing whatever's thrown our way and doing what needs to get done. We've really come a long way to help this team get back to where we are now."
Â
Where are the Mountain Hawks?
Â
They are competing for a championship this season, and set up to be in title contention for years to come.
Â
"We've had a 'what's up next' mentality," said O'Neil. "Coming off losses and bad practices, we've kept a growth mindset, holding the program to high standards."
Â
O'Neil has high standards for himself in all regards. Originally in the College of Business, he struggled early and made the move to design.
Â
"Classes were very hard for me, so I tried to follow my interest in marketing and see what other career paths were available," said O'Neil. "It led me to the Mountaintop Campus where the design classes are run.
Â
"I really liked it from the start."
Â
Post-graduation, O'Neil would like to pursue a graphic design path. He already gained valuable experience this past summer in Philadelphia at Freeman (a marketing company) in international marketing.
Â
"I served in graphic design within the company, designing logos, slogans, online ads. Instagram ads, Facebook ads and things like that," he said.
Â
O'Neil has become more creative on the football field as well, just through experience if nothing else.
Â
"This year playing linebacker, your reads have to be on point every play," he said. "It's very detail-oriented while at free safety, you have the same types of responsibilities, but a lot more space back there. You can see everything in front of you and it allow you to mess around with disguises, coverages and where you are on the field. Safety definitely gives you a lot more freedom."
Â
No matter the position, it's important to not play robotically and play with some instinct.
Â
"If you're always doing the same thing at the same time, it does become predictable," said Gilmore. "Riley's experience level allows him to know what he can do. There are numerous different situations which come up in the course of a play. How far are you removed from the play? Can you make an inside move or do you have to make an outside move?
Â
As Gilmore continued, "Knowing the spacing of an offensive set instantly triggers a certain set of knowledge (in experienced players) and the creativity to know what can be done. That creativity has helped Riley make some big plays."
Â
When thinking about scouting and strategy within football, there really isn't one correct answer.
Â
Sound familiar? Just like design.
Â
"On defense, there's freedom of calling all different types of plays from all different phases of the game," said O'Neil. "When it's all said and done, all those calls are trying to get the same objective accomplished. A lot affects the calls you make – such as down and distance, formation and tendencies you see on film.
Â
"You reach certain situations and have a handful of plays that can hopefully get the same thing done, but in all different ways."
Â
Just like O'Neil likes it.
Â
Â
Riley O'Neil likes to think creatively. Whether it's on the football field or as a design major, O'Neil is at his best when he has creative freedom.
Â
"What I really like about design is there's not necessarily a correct answer," he said. "Not getting the exact answer of certain problems was something I struggled with early in college. But with design, it's up to anybody's interpretation and whatever you hand in, you believe it's your best work and you can't really be wrong. It gives you a sense of freedom, sense of personality and identity that I really enjoy. It lets you be yourself."
Â
"Yourself" for Riley O'Neil is a four-year starter on the Mountain Hawks' defense, someone who started on back-to-back Patriot League Championship teams to begin his career, and has helped guide the program back to contention this season.
Â
O'Neil and the senior class, when they were freshmen, had the benefit of learning under a number of strong veteran leaders.
Â
"I was on campus the summer leading into my freshman year and got to hang out with Zach Duffy, Brandon Short and all those guys," said O'Neil. "Being around successful players early, and seeing the work ethic and focus it took to succeed, really helped me out. I was able to transfer the knowledge I gained in the summer into that first camp."
Â
O'Neil started at safety from day one, picking off two passes as a freshman and earning Patriot League Rookie of the Week in October after recording six tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery against Colgate.
Â
After a strong start, O'Neil has only improved over the last four years, growing as a player and maturing as an individual.
Â
"I've gotten a lot more comfortable," he said. "You start out there as a freshman and can get overwhelmed by the moment. Getting a lot of snaps over my four years, I've become really comfortable out there. That experience has allowed me to play the game I want to play."
Â
Off the field, O'Neil has made similar, if not even greater, strides.
Â
"I believe I've grown a lot as a person, maybe more than others," he said. "You come from high school, you're 'the man' and one of the best players on your team. You may be cocky and a little overconfident. Over these four years, I've grown into the leader I am today. Getting voted captain this preseason was a big honor.
Â
"All the different experiences have made me a better person, a better man, more mature and ready to take on whatever's next."
Â
Before looking ahead to the future, it's important to understand O'Neil's value in the present. First-year head coach Tom Gilmore has benefited from Riley O'Neil the player, and person, who has served as a valuable resource for the younger student-athletes.
Â
"Experience is really important, not only for Riley to perform in his position, but to also help other guys during the course of a play by making pre-snap adjustments," said Gilmore. "Also off the field in between series and in practice, Riley has been able to relay what he's seeing and help get everyone on the same page. Even though we're running a little bit different system this year, his game experience has been very, very valuable."
Â
"Riley has played a lot of snaps, so that gives the guys on defense a lot of confidence in him as a leader," said fifth-year senior Sam McCloskey. "He's seen both the good and bad days of our program, and that gives him a different perspective compared to most guys."
Â
O'Neil has experienced it all. Going through so much only increases perspective… and makes you stronger.
Â
"If anybody is looking for advice on the student-athlete experience, I believe anyone in my class would be able to give the full rundown," said O'Neil. "I hopefully can speak for everyone that it's been a very humbling experience. Especially coming in early, you win a championship your first season and think you're going to do this all four years. It was followed by another championship, but not nearly as exciting of a season. Junior year was probably the worst season you could ask for as a player results-wise, especially following two titles.
Â
"Going through everything, you remain humble and keep following the process," O'Neil continued. "My class and I have experience different cultures and we've done a good job embracing whatever's thrown our way and doing what needs to get done. We've really come a long way to help this team get back to where we are now."
Â
Where are the Mountain Hawks?
Â
They are competing for a championship this season, and set up to be in title contention for years to come.
Â
"We've had a 'what's up next' mentality," said O'Neil. "Coming off losses and bad practices, we've kept a growth mindset, holding the program to high standards."
Â
O'Neil has high standards for himself in all regards. Originally in the College of Business, he struggled early and made the move to design.
Â
"Classes were very hard for me, so I tried to follow my interest in marketing and see what other career paths were available," said O'Neil. "It led me to the Mountaintop Campus where the design classes are run.
Â
"I really liked it from the start."
Â
Post-graduation, O'Neil would like to pursue a graphic design path. He already gained valuable experience this past summer in Philadelphia at Freeman (a marketing company) in international marketing.
Â
"I served in graphic design within the company, designing logos, slogans, online ads. Instagram ads, Facebook ads and things like that," he said.
Â
O'Neil has become more creative on the football field as well, just through experience if nothing else.
Â
"This year playing linebacker, your reads have to be on point every play," he said. "It's very detail-oriented while at free safety, you have the same types of responsibilities, but a lot more space back there. You can see everything in front of you and it allow you to mess around with disguises, coverages and where you are on the field. Safety definitely gives you a lot more freedom."
Â
No matter the position, it's important to not play robotically and play with some instinct.
Â
"If you're always doing the same thing at the same time, it does become predictable," said Gilmore. "Riley's experience level allows him to know what he can do. There are numerous different situations which come up in the course of a play. How far are you removed from the play? Can you make an inside move or do you have to make an outside move?
Â
As Gilmore continued, "Knowing the spacing of an offensive set instantly triggers a certain set of knowledge (in experienced players) and the creativity to know what can be done. That creativity has helped Riley make some big plays."
Â
When thinking about scouting and strategy within football, there really isn't one correct answer.
Â
Sound familiar? Just like design.
Â
"On defense, there's freedom of calling all different types of plays from all different phases of the game," said O'Neil. "When it's all said and done, all those calls are trying to get the same objective accomplished. A lot affects the calls you make – such as down and distance, formation and tendencies you see on film.
Â
"You reach certain situations and have a handful of plays that can hopefully get the same thing done, but in all different ways."
Â
Just like O'Neil likes it.
Â
Players Mentioned
OL
/ Football
DB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
OL
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