Lehigh/Bucknell Preview up

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Here's something for Ken_Z to chew on while nervously wondering how Justin Castleberry's jumpshot is looking and how he'll survive without men's and women's rowing this year.

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com

[ngineer]

Don't know if I'd call it the beginning of the Bokosky 'era'...Era connotes a significant period of time to me. I think he's warming the seat until one of our two frosh step in next year. Bokosky has put on a gritty performance..running over people and showing a lot of spunk. I just don't see him having all the 'tools' to take the offense to a new level. There have been smaller QBs in college and pro, but those who were successful had some outstanding playmakers taking the heat off of them. His style, though, is more in the format of Sedale with the running option, and for the balance of this year it makes sense to go with him due to familiarity with the offense. Our defense needs to makes something happen. While playing tough at Colgate, they need to start creating some havoc and turnovers.

[Franks Tanks]

Don't know if I'd call it the beginning of the Bokosky 'era'...Era connotes a significant period of time to me. I think he's warming the seat until one of our two frosh step in next year. Bokosky has put on a gritty performance..running over people and showing a lot of spunk. I just don't see him having all the 'tools' to take the offense to a new level. There have been smaller QBs in college and pro, but those who were successful had some outstanding playmakers taking the heat off of them. His style, though, is more in the format of Sedale with the running option, and for the balance of this year it makes sense to go with him due to familiarity with the offense. Our defense needs to makes something happen. While playing tough at Colgate, they need to start creating some havoc and turnovers.

Bucknell is terrible, unless the inmates at Lewisburg state Penn hijaks the us you will win by at least 3 TD's.

[colgate13]

Bucknell is terrible, unless the inmates at Lewisburg state Penn hijaks the us you will win by at least 3 TD's.

I don't see it that way, but who knows?

If they want to, the option game can slow the tempo of this one down a bit.

[ngineer]

Lehigh's dominance in the second half was good to see. The "M.O." this year has been lackluster second half performances--especially on offense. 'Slash' Threatt added a new wrinkle that Lafayette will have to think about.
One thing that bothered me about Bucknell--despite an 'announced crowd' of 1,781--I think that included season ticket holders who did not show. There was barely over a thousand there today, and OVER HALF were Lehigh fansxsmhx This was senior day at Bucknell. A very nice pregame ceremony with the parents..and that's about all who showed up. While I understand that the Bison have had a very tough season, this was embarrasing. My daughter is a Bucknell grad and I have a lot of respect for the school, but I'm afraid this program is in big trouble and can't figure out why. Beautiful stadium, lovely campus, great academics, good coach (had a very good track record before BU)..Any light to shed here Ken Z??

[Franks Tanks]

Lehigh's dominance in the second half was good to see. The "M.O." this year has been lackluster second half performances--especially on offense. 'Slash' Threatt added a new wrinkle that Lafayette will have to think about.
One thing that bothered me about Bucknell--despite an 'announced crowd' of 1,781--I think that included season ticket holders who did not show. There was barely over a thousand there today, and OVER HALF were Lehigh fansxsmhx This was senior day at Bucknell. A very nice pregame ceremony with the parents..and that's about all who showed up. While I understand that the Bison have had a very tough season, this was embarrasing. My daughter is a Bucknell grad and I have a lot of respect for the school, but I'm afraid this program is in big trouble and can't figure out why. Beautiful stadium, lovely campus, great academics, good coach (had a very good track record before BU)..Any light to shed here Ken Z??

I think it is all Landis and that terrible offense. Bucknell can attract quality athletes just as easily as Lafayette, Colgate, and Lehigh. There is no reason for them to run that crap option junk. Its not like they are Navy and facing a bunch of obstacles. Talented kids dont want to run that offense so they stay away. Landis has also recruited some of the smallest kids I have seen in the PL in a while. Bucknell's starting tackle is 237 pounds , and no one is very big. Landis needs to go NOW, any coach can attract quality talent to Bucknell and compete as long as they run a more attractive system.

[jdb037]

I too was very disappointed with the turnout today for Senior Day, but at the same time, I have gotten used to it. We aren't having a good season and it pains me to sit through a game with that offense. First and foremost, to get people to be interested in the games, we need to start winning and if that means getting rid of a coach or two, fine. Our basketball program will always trump our football program, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't field a team that can't compete. On a side note, we burned all three of our first half timeouts because the play clock was winding down. This has been a popular theme for us this year and lies on the coaches shoulders. May not be the biggest deal in the world, but it demonstrates some incompetence on the part of the Division 1 coaches that we employ.

[ngineer]

I too was very disappointed with the turnout today for Senior Day, but at the same time, I have gotten used to it. We aren't having a good season and it pains me to sit through a game with that offense. First and foremost, to get people to be interested in the games, we need to start winning and if that means getting rid of a coach or two, fine. Our basketball program will always trump our football program, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't field a team that can't compete. On a side note, we burned all three of our first half timeouts because the play clock was winding down. This has been a popular theme for us this year and lies on the coaches shoulders. May not be the biggest deal in the world, but it demonstrates some incompetence on the part of the Division 1 coaches that we employ.

Curious about the coaching...Landis came highly touted having run the St. Mary's program. I don't recall he was a 'option oriented' coach back then. I do agree that the clock managment was bad...not sure who was a fault there from my view---but Bison were breaking the huddle with only 10-12 seconds left on the play clock, which causes people to rush and miss assignments. I think Bucknell's AD is going to have to do a serious evaluation with Landis as to what direction they want to go.

[Franks Tanks]

Curious about the coaching...Landis came highly touted having run the St. Mary's program. I don't recall he was a 'option oriented' coach back then. I do agree that the clock managment was bad...not sure who was a fault there from my view---but Bison were breaking the huddle with only 10-12 seconds left on the play clock, which causes people to rush and miss assignments. I think Bucknell's AD is going to have to do a serious evaluation with Landis as to what direction they want to go.

I agree, what also makes the situation more bleak is all those tiny kids he recruited to run the option. He doesnt have a QB who can throw or an o-line that can run a traditional offense. When he gets fired the new coach will inherit a bunch of players who were recruited to run a very specific offense, and it will be a difficult transition period.

[carney2]

Curious about the coaching...Landis came highly touted having run the St. Mary's program. I don't recall he was a 'option oriented' coach back then.

Unfortunately for Bucknell football, Landis threw in the towel the day he arrived in Lewisburg. Although not quite the same admission of a talent gap vis-a-vis your opponent as the Delaware Wing-T*, Landis's triple option is, in some respects, an admission that he cannot compete with his opponents on a level playing field. It is the primary reason that you see it being run by relatively talent poor Navy and Air Force. In the first place, your opponent has probably not seen this type of offense since the last time that he played you. It is difficult to prepare for. An opponent's scout team cannot be made into a triple option attack in a day or two to give you decent looks. In the second place, the triple option requires specific talent rather than talent up and down the roster. Theoretically, the triple option allows you to be competitive while winning fewer of the head to head recruiting battles with your primary competition.

As noted elsewhere, Bucknell can do better. They are not, however, going to do better with this scheme, this coach, and this attitude that "we really can't compete."

*Before I get in trouble with the random Aqua Chicken that may read this, I need to state that Dave Nelson freely admits that he installed his famous Delaware Wing-T back in the 50s to overcome what he perceived as superior talent on the other teams that they were playing at the time. The fact that he and Tubby Raymond took this offense to new heights with superior talent is a whole 'nother story.

[jdb037]

We did have a quarterback that we thought would lead our team, unfortunately, he quit due to lack of playing time. I have heard from many players that he had quite the ego after transferring from Navy, but from what I saw in his brief action last year, before his broke is collarbone, he had a better arm and was faster than both of our quarterbacks now. Since he transfered from Navy, I'm guessing he was used to the option offense. There is no doubt in my mind that he would have gotten the starting position at some point during the season, but he didn't want to stick around until that day came.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Bucknell has gotten some pretty good defensive players over the years: Conover, Slater is a good one, Nana-Sinkam looked like a great player until he got hurt in the preseason. Where Bucknell has been killed is depth, which could be due to a tough admissions department for football players. That's what I've always suspected.

[jdb037]

Bucknell has gotten some pretty good defensive players over the years: Conover, Slater is a good one, Nana-Sinkam looked like a great player until he got hurt in the preseason. Where Bucknell has been killed is depth, which could be due to a tough admissions department for football players. That's what I've always suspected.

Don't forget Dorian Peterson, we could possibly challenge Penn State for the nickname "Linebacker U" xlolx xlolx

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Don't forget Dorian Peterson, we could possibly challenge Penn State for the nickname "Linebacker U" xlolx xlolx

Petersen was a good one too, thanks for reminding me.

I don't know if you waded into the waters of that AI debate on the Bucknell board, but do you think that the issue at Bucknell is related to the AI? My thought is "not really", but maybe you're of a different mind on it.

[jdb037]

I didn't touch that debate, I don't really think I could have had the same insight as the Fordham guy or the Bison 137 (i think it was him, or ericatbucknell). If i had to make a comment I would say that it doesn't play a big role, but I don't think it should be overlooked completely. In terms of academics, Bucknell is a better school than Fordham which means admissions is gonna be a little tougher on athletes but at the same time, Colgate is a little better than us in terms of academics and Lehigh is on the same level so theres no reason why we shouldn't be competing.

I don't want to get into an argument over this either because I don't know anything about it and I also don't want a Fordham guy jumping all over me because I said Bucknell is better in terms of academics.

[Ken_Z]

Here's something for Ken_Z to chew on while nervously wondering how Justin Castleberry's jumpshot is looking and how he'll survive without men's and women's rowing this year.


a few thoughts for my fans (and all the rest of you). i did attend the football game, and all it did was make me more desparate to see Castleberry's jump shot. very insightful of you LFN to pick 'berry since he hit the clincher against Albany (although Griffin hit the biggest shot).

- Landis has to be on thin ice, and i believe it is time for the school to move on without him. when he came in, my impression was he was supposed ot be a good offensive coach. under the late, great, coach Gadd we were very good defensively, but struggled at times on offense. well the defense has gone down hill under Landis and the offense has not improved.
- don't believe the ai is a significant issue for Bucknell, certainly not in the PL.
- i am not sure about Bucknell's commitment to football. i do not mean the team is at risk of being disbanded, but i am much less convinced that the dollar commitment and willingness of admissions to stretch a bit is there for football compared to other sports.
- alumni support is not there in terms of dollars. we were last in the PL (even behind Georgetown in terms of alumni donations directed toward the program). this even after a campaign targeted at former players to get them reconnected and donating to the program.
- while my statements indicate that Landis may be working at a bit of a disadvantage relative to others in the PL, the first step towards resuscitation needs to be a new coaching staff.
- as for lack of support, having watched the game, i can understand why folks are not attending. the kids deserve better, but it is painful to watch.

jdb, you said the guys leading the student cheering (football and hoops - north end) is a freshman. great to see such enthusiasm. if the team can generate a more enjoyable product, he might be able to whip up more support from the students. for anyone who attended the football and hoops games, it is not hard to understand why students who have to make choices with their time would choose Sojka.

[jdb037]

for anyone who attended the football and hoops games, it is not hard to understand why students who have to make choices with their time would choose Sojka.

I agree 100% with you on this. But at the same time, nobody here in my experience does any work on Saturday. So I'm not sure time is an issue, its just that people don't want to see the football that we play. Hopefully a coaching change is on the horizon, although I do like Cohen, our defensive coordinator. He has done good things at other schools in the past so we should give him a chance.

[Ken_Z]

at the same time, nobody here in my experience does any work on Saturday.

work? who the heck was talking about anybody doing any work? many other activities fill the typical students weekend e.g. sleeping, drinking, hanging out, one's own physical activity, etc. got to fit them all into that busy schedule. oh if only i could go back to those days.