Football

Mike Morelli
Mike Morelli
  • Title:
    Kickers and Punters Coach
  • Alma Mater:
    Sixth season

Mike Morelli is in his sixth season as the kickers and punters coach for the Lehigh football program. In 2010 Morelli guided punter Alex Smith to second team All-Patriot League honors with a league leading average of 38.3 yards per punt. Morelli also mentored Lehigh’s consistent kicking game as the Mountain Hawks finished second in the league in field goals and PATs. Tom Randazza led the league making 90 percent of his field goals as he finished with 60 points.

 
2009 saw Morelli work with a young group of kickers and punters, including Alex Smith who punted 62 times for an average of 34.8 yards per attempt. Smith had 20 of his punts downed inside the opponents’ 20-yard line and 13 fair caught. Morelli also mentored kickers Tom Randazza and Jake Peery who handled all of the Mountain Hawks place kicking and kick-off duties. That pair combined for 42 points on the season and each kicker booted a field goal of at least 38 yards.
 
In 2008, Morelli oversaw Lehigh’s rise to the top of the Patriot League as the Mountain Hawks led the league and ranked third nationally in net punt average. In addition, Jason Leo ’09 earned a spot on the All-Patriot League teams for the fourth consecutive season after ranking seventh in the nation in punt average, and he finished his career with 194 points, which ranks third in school annals among kickers. Leo also was named an All-American for the second consecutive year.
 
During the 2007 season, Morelli mentored Leo to an All-America and All-Patriot League campaign after he finished 14th in the country with a 42.1 per punt average. Leo also doubled as the Mountain Hawks place kicker and scored 61 points on 28 extra points and 11 field goals.
 
In 2006, Morelli also worked with Leo, who earned the 2006 Special Teams Player of the Year award, and led all kickers in the Patriot League in both points and made field goals. Morelli has worked with kickers of all ages on all skill levels and has coached several Division I prospects.
 
Prior to joining the Lehigh staff, Morelli spent a number of years working with kickers at a variety of different age and skill levels. Prior to arriving at Lehigh, Morelli spent six years as the owner and operator of Fourth Down Kicking Specialists in Montgomeryville, Pa. There, Morelli operated camps and punting clinics in three different states, while helping college kicking prospects hone their skills and select the right collegiate fit. 
 
Morelli also spent two seasons as the kicking and punting consultant at the University of Connecticut, coinciding with the team’s move to the Division I-A level. 
 
Morelli was a four-year letter winner on the UConn football program, while earning Dean’s List honors. An All-Atlantic 10 Conference selection as a punter in 1999, Morelli earned his bachelors in finance from Connecticut in 2000.
 
Morelli currently resides in King of Prussia, Pa., outside of Philadelphia.