STATE OF LEHIGH FOOTBALL

November 24, 2009

Why should he stay? In four seasons, he’s lost 24 games. The program lost 25 games in the previous nine seasons combined. He should stay because the landscape of FCS (1-AA) football has changed, and it’s about to change again.

There is no question that the Lehigh football program had a disappointing season. In a year when they had seven home games, they finished 4-7 (with only two wins at Goodman Stadium). Head Coach Andy Coen will be the first to tell you he never saw the season unfolding the way it did.

Some long time fans want to compare what he has done (or hasn’t done) as coach to Kevin Higgins and Pete Lembo. There in lies the mistake. You can’t. Things are different now.

In the previous era, a kid that didn’t receive a scholarship to an Atlantic 10 school (now called the CAA), could turn to the Patriot League for a few reasons. You had a chance at a need based scholarship, and you would have a chance to play for a national championship. However, the Northeast Conference, once an easy home W on a Patriot League schedule began offering athletic scholarships. Plus, as of next season, they’ll receive an automatic bid into the expanded FCS Playoffs.

This has changed Patriot League football. They are not getting the same athletes and play makers they once did. There is a chance to turn the tide again. The presidents of the league are considering the idea of athletic scholarships for football. Other sports like basketball have been giving athletic scholarships for a while and look what it has done. The Patriot League went from being the lowest rated conference in Division 1 basketball to winning games in the NCAA Tournament. They even had the league runner-up in the NIT a few years back.

Have I agreed with all of Andy Coen’s decisions? No. I felt he should have let QB JB Clark work through his early season struggles this year. He was dealing with a new offensive line and an entire new set of wide outs. Coen benched him after three games. He would give him the job back a few weeks later, and Clark played better and better down the stretch.

I haven’t agreed with all his in game moves either. I still think he should have kicked the 31 yard field goal against Princeton, down 10 in the middle of the fourth quarter. He went for the first down. He didn’t get it. Lehigh lost 17-14.

Andy Coen deserves to keep his job because as bad as things looked at times this year, Lehigh was 60 seconds away from the playoffs. One more stop against Dominic Randolph of Holy Cross and Lehigh would have won the league title and automatic bid. When that didn’t happen, his team could have seen the 2-7 record behind their name and mailed in game #10. It was basically a meaningless road game, with Lafayette looming a week later. When they played poorly for a stretch and lost the lead, a packed house at Goodman Stadium seven days later could have been in their mind. Instead, Lehigh fought for 60 minutes and got the win.

That game showed me that Andy Coen and his staff still had that locker room. With 16-17 starters back next year, there is promise for bigger and better things. I hope people can see Coen for what he is. He is a great guy and great family man… no question. He’s also 15-9 in the Patriot League. He has two fewer wins than Kevin Higgins did after four years at Lehigh. I look forward to seeing what he can do in 2010. I know he does too.

My bowl projections…

BCS Title Game – Florida vs. Texas

Rose Bowl – Ohio State vs. Oregon

Sugar Bowl – Alabama vs. Cincinnati

Fiesta Bowl – Penn State vs. Boise State

Orange Bowl – TCU vs. Georgia Tech

Capital One Bowl – Iowa vs. Mississippi

Outback Bowl – Wisconsin vs. Arkansas

Cotton Bowl – LSU vs. Oklahoma

Gator Bowl – Pitt vs. Miami

Games of the Week:

Alabama @ Auburn – Take a break from your holiday shopping and settle in for the Iron Bowl. The Tide offense which has struggled at times faces a Tiger D that is giving up more points than any team in the SEC. However, Auburn’s new high powered offense will be a good test for Bama. Expect a big day from Tide RB Mark Ingram. This one won’t be easy, but Alabama remains perfect… setting up THE game next week with the Gators.

Pitt @ West Virginia –Time for the Backyard Brawl. The last time these two met in Morgantown, the Panthers resurrected their program and knocked the Mountaineers out of the national title game with a 13-9 win. No matter what happens in this game, the Pitt-Cincy game next week will be for the BCS bid. That means this one is for pride (and potentially the Gator Bowl should Cincy win out). WVU has beaten no one of consequence this season. I’ll take the Panthers to make it three in a row in this rivalry.

Oklahoma State @ Oklahoma – The entire state of Idaho will be watching this one. A Sooner win ups the likelihood of Boise State receiving a BCS bid. The Cowboys have only won 17 of the 103 meetings in the series. OSU QB Zac Robinson should play after missing last week’s 31-28 win over Colorado. The Sooners have been ravaged with injuries all year leading to a 6-5 record. That matches the most losses OU has had since Bob Stoops took over. I think big brother wins a 12-round fight. The potato state can rest easier for the next week.