Late 1990s offense

[Sundayamqb]

I ran into a former Towson State defensive player -- I'm guessing he was a LB or CB -- the other day.

When I told him I went to Lehigh, he told me how impressed he was playing LU -- in the late 1990s, when Towson was in the Patriot League and didn't always win, even with their stud QB Joe Lee.

The one thing he remembered specifically was just how brutal the week was before playing LU. He said he never had to prepare for any other team like Lehigh, because its offensive playbook was LOADED with complicated plays, formations -- you name it. And the defense had to know it all.

It looks like Dave Clawson and Andy Coen were OCs at the time.

Anyone know if LU had athletic scholarships back then?

The one thing this encounter reminded me was just how mentally tough our team was back then. They made few mistakes and executed, at least on offense, incredibly effectively and creatively.

That culture seems to be gone. How do we get it back?

[Old Timer]

No, there were no schollies at that time. But, yes, they were great times. LU could play anyone for the exact reasons stated. Smart, tough, and hungry. Didn't win them all, but always in the game. Boy, I long for those days.

[RichH]

Yup. No schollies but a much more favorable recruiting landscape. We had a niche. Ivins hadn't yet amped football aid/recruiting. NEC not a favorite. CAA much smaller. No Monmouth. Merrimack.etc.Less competition. More better players were there to be had. Lehigh offered a great education and and a vibrant program with a solid history of success.
We still have those to offer. Gotta climb out of the trench dug by the last 5 years.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Cahill and Company have been able to recruit some really talented kids despite the program being at its lowest point in 50 years. If these student-athletes do in fact make their way to South Mountain I still believe the turnaround can be pretty quick; relative to the PL.

[HFO]

What Lehigh has was continuity of coaching.

Whitehead came from Dunlap's staff when it changed course with Kim McQuilkin (William Allen High). Whitehead too to NCAA DII Championship with Mike Rieker (Catasauqua High), Hank Small took over and developed an elaborate passing game with a number of very good QB from NJ/PA McGowan, Kempa Semptemphelter. Higgins then elevated and made NCAA QB 2x with QB Aylsworth (Tulane), Stambaugh (St. Pius - Roseto). From late 1970s to late 1990s....20 year run...Lehigh was consistent enough to make Top 10 multiple times. Most of the Head Coaches came from internally as Offensive Coordinators.

The other consistent formula was winning occurred with elite local QB from the Lehigh Valley. Those that weren't were most likely from NJ high schools less than 50 miles away.

So we shall see if Cahill has the right stuff or was a search exercise of futility to be Ivy Like. The new Lehigh mantra despite declining academic output of faculty.