Lehigh/Yale Preview Up

[Lehigh Football Nation]

It's up. I don't think I've even been so uncertain of a "fearless prediction" as this week.

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com

[carney2]

I am with you on your prediction of a Lehigh win, LFN. So far I have had the dubious honor of seeing three of the Ivy contenders (Penn, Princeton and Yale) up close and personal. Yale impressed me the least. (Penn the most.)

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Thanks. At the risk of hijacking my own thread, I noticed that Yale completed some huge plays against you at your place. Do you feel like Yale took you by surprise? I feel like Princeton kind of took us surprise at our place as did Harvard (hard as that last one may be to beleive).

Strangely, I think especially for the "big three" (Lafayette-Colgate-Lehigh) they key will be to take the Ivies seriously. Certainly we are all capable of winning this final round, making the Patriot/Ivy record at least somewhat more respectable. But I have a theory working that the kids kind of thought they would just show up and dominate these Ivy teams. That certainly seems to have been the case with Lehigh.

[bulldog10jw]

Strangely, I think especially for the "big three" (Lafayette-Colgate-Lehigh) they key will be to take the Ivies seriously. Certainly we are all capable of winning this final round, making the Patriot/Ivy record at least somewhat more respectable. But I have a theory working that the kids kind of thought they would just show up and dominate these Ivy teams. That certainly seems to have been the case with Lehigh.

Kind of hard to believe that Lafayette wouldn't take the Ivies seriously.

[carney2]

Do you feel like Yale took you by surprise?

Surprise?! Do you really have any concept of how badly Lafayette performs against the eight witches of evil? I mean REALLY how badly. The formula:

8 witches = Ancient Eight minus Columbia plus Colgate

There's no surprise. There's no logic. It's as close as you can get to an "automatic" in college football. Well, there's Rice-Texas, Navy-Notre Dame, and Duke-anybody, but these are logical, not mystical.

In any event, I have recently concluded in my very own little pea brain that (1) if Lafayette emerges from Cambridge on Saturday relatively injury free, and (2) if the coaches can prevent a meltdown after this tiptoe through the Ivys, you can throw out the Lafayette vs. the Ivy League results and comparative results/scores vis-a-vis Lehigh and Colgate because none of it will have any bearing on the Pards' play in the Patriot League.* That's just the way it is. Through the decades, even when the Pards have done well they have been the Ivys' favorite homecoming opponent. Wishful thinking? Maybe, but, hey, give me a break, it's all I've got at the moment.

*The longest sentence posted by anyone at AGS in 2006.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I happen to agree with your extremely long sentence. Even though the 'Pards look like (say) Columbia through their tour through the Ivy League, I am quite convinced that Jonathan Hurt, come Lehigh/Lafayette time, will again become the second coming of Keith Marsh. That's what he did last year.

The thing about Yale is that the matchup looks like it would be in Lehigh's favor. But I would have said the same thing about Lafayette as well.

[Pard4Life]

I happen to agree with your extremely long sentence. Even though Lehigh looks like (say) Columbia through their tour through the Ivy League, I am quite convinced that Jonathan Hurt, come Lehigh/Lafayette time, will again become the second coming of Keith Marsh. That's what he did last year.

The thing about Yale is that the matchup looks like it would be in Lehigh's favor. But I would have said the same thing about Lafayette as well.

Hurt is good but he is no where near Marsh good.... jeez... McCourt came the closest in numbers but even they were different backs..

[Pard4Life]

I was in a daze at the Yale game and half-paying attention... but from what I could discern is that they like to spread the field and are very effective at doing so. Polhmus was right on the money on many tough throws. McLeod also did alot of damage... good cut-backs and blocking. Lehigh might have some trouble with the way they have been playing.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I was in a daze at the Yale game and half-paying attention... but from what I could discern is that they like to spread the field and are very effective at doing so. Polhmus was right on the money on many tough throws. McLeod also did alot of damage... good cut-backs and blocking. Lehigh might have some trouble with the way they have been playing.

That's surprising... how could they spread the field with only two decent receivers? I know those receivers are underrated, but that surprises me.

[Pard4Life]

That's surprising... how could they spread the field with only two decent receivers? I know those receivers are underrated, but that surprises me.

Um... we have no pass defense? I was looking at the stats adn they only passed for 196 yards... but it seriously seemed like much more than that... McLeod had 174 on 30 carries.. jeez...

[bulldog10jw]

That's surprising... how could they spread the field with only two decent receivers? I know those receivers are underrated, but that surprises me.

Yale has two very good receivers in Henley and Wright and another decent one in Shooter.

However, I disagree that they try to spread the field. They are trying for a much more balanced offense then they have had in recent years. With Mcleod emerging as a good back, they do seem to be looking to run first. But it seems like each week they are letting Polhemus open it up a little more. It doesn't hurt that he seems to be a very good runner and scrambler although he has yet to prove he can throw on the run. It seems that once he decides to run, he runs, and stops looking for a receiver to get open.

I'm more worried about the defense, which really hasn't stopped anyone. Even Dartmouth mostly stopped themselves with turnovers and mistakes.

[carney2]

Apparently the Yalies live up to their intellectual reputation. They did a decent job in scouting Lafayette. In one case they noticed that Lafayette's DB rolls away from the receiver in a specific cover 2. They worked on that all week and tried to force Lafayette into that coverage in the game. When they finally got what they wanted late in the second quarter the Lafayette safety (surprisingly, not a corner back this time) turned his back on the receiver and Polhemus laid the ball accurately into the vacated area for a 63 yard TD.

I still can't believe that McLeod got 172 yards. I'm thinking that Lehigh can shut that down.

The point being, I guess, that they may not be the most talented team on Lehigh's schedule, but they will be prepared to play.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Yale has two very good receivers in Henley and Wright and another decent one in Shooter.

However, I disagree that they try to spread the field. They are trying for a much more balanced offense then they have had in recent years. With Mcleod emerging as a good back, they do seem to be looking to run first. But it seems like each week they are letting Polhemus open it up a little more. It doesn't hurt that he seems to be a very good runner and scrambler although he has yet to prove he can throw on the run. It seems that once he decides to run, he runs, and stops looking for a receiver to get open.

I'm more worried about the defense, which really hasn't stopped anyone. Even Dartmouth mostly stopped themselves with turnovers and mistakes.

Thanks for your input, bulldog. Lehigh has struggled with offensive consistency all year despite obvious flashes of talent. I agree that Yale (as are all the Ivy teams) will be 100% ready for Lehigh - they always are.

Last year Lehigh bottled up McLeod and the other backs extremely effectively, but Mroz had a banner day passing as you almost beat us. Polhemus seemed to have some good passing and scrambling ability against Lafayette, so I'm not totally at ease there.

If our offense can get it together and not make so many mistakes - not really in the form of turnovers, but more mental errors like holding calls and missed assignments - I think Lehigh could have a good day. But we'll see. It will take a more complete effort than I've seen Lehigh give in the past three games.

[ngineer]

Yes, the biggest concern is defending the pass. We need pressure on the QB--take a page out of the Eagles playbook this past Sunday. It would appear Lehigh should be able to put up some number offensively if we stop killing ourselves with penalties. Could be a track meet. 41-38 like......Lehigh of course.;)