Lafayette @ Lehigh

[carney2]

No championship (not even a "co") on the line, no playoff bid at stake, but still, this is something special. A sold out Goodman Stadium (16,000, plus whatever more they can jam onto the grassy knoll in the south end zone), an overflow stadium (Lafayette's Fisher Stadium, only 12 miles or so away, will be open to "tailgaters" with the game being broadcast live on the giant jumbotron), and TV parties in cities across the country.

This will be the 143rd meeting in the most played college football rivalry in America. Lafayette holds a 75-62-5 lead in the series, has won the last 3 in a row, and 4 of the last 5. Lehigh won 7 in a row before that.

This game deserves its own thread. C'mon, join in. Memories, predictions, or general BS - all are welcome.

[LehighFan11]

Hoping for a well played game on both sides and a different result than the last time you guys came to goodman!

[BDK@YSU]

I wish YSU had one of these games...

[The Historian]

I remember the 1963 game, my second, being postponed a week because of the Kennedy assasination. It was not cancelled because #100 was the following year.

Both programs were way down in the mid-60's and #100 was a very poor game. The teams had two wins between them. It ended in a 6-6 tie. Late in the fourth quarter Lafayette passed up a field goal on fourth and goal at the one and got stopped for no gain.

The games and programs have gotten a lot better since then.

[Syntax Error]

Besides the month being about the participants http://www.anygivensaturday.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32026

This is one of the great things in FCS!

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Obviously this week the blog will focus on "The Rivalry", where I'll share some of the memories and history of the game.

ng had a great point: Lehigh will be playing for their 10th consecutive winning season, something that's never been done.

[carney2]

ng had a great point: Lehigh will be playing for their 10th consecutive winning season, something that's never been done.

As of 3:45 or so on Saturday, that accomplishment will still be at least 10 years away.xnodx

[ngineer]

On the 'Week 12' thread I put up Lehigh winning in OT...It just seems to me that this is one of 'those years' where we could have a really weird game with all sorts of stuff being tried since both teams 'need' this game for keeping warm this winter. Last, and only other OT game was the one ending with Klingerman's catch in "the gloamin" in the back of the endzone under the glow of the scoreboard.

[colgate13]

Lafayette makes it 4 years in a row...

Fans are longing for Lembo...

[LehighFan11]

Lafayette makes it 4 years in a row...

Fans are longing for Lembo...

No thank you

[Lehigh74]

Fans are longing for Lembo...

The guy we are longing for is Higgins not Lembo.

[65 Pard]

In 1961, the first roar of the crowd reverberating off the mountain in old Taylor stadium at my first L-L game is something I will never forget. More moving than anything I heard from 100,000+ at Michigan Stadium......and what a great game it was.....we lost that one when a dead duck kick hit the crossbar and went over but a game effort from an undermanned but determined Leopard Squad

Look for Lehigh to put up another such battle this Saturday and those who follow this rivalry know that previous wins and losses this year mean absolutely nothing at game time......Should be a great one...

[Leo-Pard]

I recall being indoctrinated into Lafayette Lehigh in 1994. I was 14 and my dad, an alum, took me to my first Game. The stomping Lafayette put on Lehigh, which came along with a PL championship, made my dad, and thus me, a very happy person.
I started in 1998, and all of the games during my time as a student were blowout losses.
2002, the November after my graduation, resonates in my memory, as it does for many, as the first time in a long while that the underdog Lafayette had even come close to beating the powerhouse Lehigh. "The Drive" and that fake FG will always be crystal clear in my mind... as well as the fact that the Lafayette students, who really were quite apathetic towards football during my 4 years, actually were into the game and were MASSING toward the endzone in anticipation of taking down the goalposts!
"The pass" in 2005 was awesome and may have been the most Euphoric I have ever been as a sports fan (considering I am a Philadelphia sports fan, it may be the most euphoric ever in my life).

Looking forward to this one but it will be the first Lafayette Lehigh I may not be able to attend in a long time, but I am still working on getting tickets.

[colgate13]

The guy we are longing for is Higgins not Lembo.
Sing with me now boys...

"You can't always get what you want..."

[Lafayette71]

Always a great atmosphere at Goodman. Nothing on the line this year but the thrill of victory. Should be a great game. LFN's "word" this week is 1997, refering to Lehigh's come from behind win that year on their way to four straight. That was my first year on the team and my class had the dubious distinction of being the first to go without a win over Lehigh. Maybe Lafayette can return the favor for the Seniors on Lehigh's squad this year.

[65 Pard]

That was my first year on the team and my class had the dubious distinction of being the first to go without a win over Lehigh. Maybe Lafayette can return the favor for the Seniors on Lehigh's squad this year.

If I recall properly, I believe my class holds that distinction...61-65

[Go...gate]

Lehigh-Lafayette is a wonderful, intense, one-game-season kind of rivalry. Colgate has not had one of these since the Syracuse annual became non-competitive in the mid 1950's and ultimately died.

Enjoy it, Engineers and Leopards!

[The Last Engineer]

Originally Posted by Lafayette71
That was my first year on the team and my class had the dubious distinction of being the first to go without a win over Lehigh. Maybe Lafayette can return the favor for the Seniors on Lehigh's squad this year.


If I recall properly, I believe my class holds that distinction...61-65

Am I allowed to enjoy the fact that you two are arguing over this point? :D

This is the first time in a decade that The Game has not had some sort of impact on the PL championship. Although I certainly wish that Lehigh was competing for a shot at the postseason on Saturday, maybe this will help the players focus on the game at hand rather than the playoff games that might take place afterwards.

I know that Lehigh faces an uphill battle but an effort similar to the one the team put forth in the second half against Bucknell last weekend should keep it very interesting. An effort like the one during the spanking we took from Holy Cross... well, let's just say that it won't be as interesting for some of us.

GO ENGINEERS... BEAT THOSE LEPERS!

[Leo-Pard]

For those with access to digital cable and satellite; this game will be nationally televised on Fox College Atlantic channel Live @ 12:30 on Saturday.

[carney2]

If I recall properly, I believe my class holds that distinction...61-65

You missed by one year. According to the Lafayette Football 2007 Media Guide, the Class of 1964 was the first to go through its four years without witnessing a win over Lehigh. The four consecutive losses to Lehigh was not a first however, and not even a "record" at the time. The teams played twice in 1890 and three times in 1891, with Lehigh prevailing in all 5 games.

[Franks Tanks]

Originally Posted by Lafayette71
That was my first year on the team and my class had the dubious distinction of being the first to go without a win over Lehigh. Maybe Lafayette can return the favor for the Seniors on Lehigh's squad this year.



Am I allowed to enjoy the fact that you two are arguing over this point? :D

This is the first time in a decade that The Game has not had some sort of impact on the PL championship. Although I certainly wish that Lehigh was competing for a shot at the postseason on Saturday, maybe this will help the players focus on the game at hand rather than the playoff games that might take place afterwards.

I know that Lehigh faces an uphill battle but an effort similar to the one the team put forth in the second half against Bucknell last weekend should keep it very interesting. An effort like the one during the spanking we took from Holy Cross... well, let's just say that it won't be as interesting for some of us.
GO ENGINEERS... BEAT THOSE LEPERS!


No Offense but playing good for a half against Bucknell is no indication of improved play.

[LehighFan11]

No Offense but playing good for a half against Bucknell is no indication of improved play.

Well it actually is improved from the thumping Lehigh took agaisnt HC. Then again, it couldn't of gotten much worse. Lehigh looked good against bad teams. Lafayette had done the same all year expect for last week, now Lehigh has their chance to show if they have truely improved.

[carney2]

In 1961, the first roar of the crowd reverberating off the mountain in old Taylor stadium at my first L-L game is something I will never forget. More moving than anything I heard from 100,000+ at Michigan Stadium......and what a great game it was.....we lost that one when a dead duck kick hit the crossbar and went over but a game effort from an undermanned but determined Leopard Squad

After all these decades, the 1961 game is still the most memorable to me - more than the riot to end all riots in the mid 70s; more than the 1988 "point a second" game; more than the 1995 catch in the gloaming; more than The Drive (2002); and even more than 2005's Big Hurt. I ought to do a little piece about each of these for this thread, but I have a day job.

[Lehigh74]

My take is that Lehigh has the talent to play with Lafayette. The open question is whether our coaching staff can effectively match wits with Tavani and his excellent assistant coaches. From that perspective, this is a huge game for Andy Coen. It will be interesting to see whether he and his assistants can devise a plan that will give Lehigh a chance to win the game.

[ngineer]

My first L-L Game was 1970 as a freshman. Being on the team we couldn't dress with Varsity back then. The last fight I was in was going for the goal posts at Fisher Field in the west endzone.
This is a most emotional week for the seniors of both teams. For virtually all of them, it will be the MOST import week of football in their lives. With so many frosh and sophs playing, it will be very important that the essence of this game is conveyed to them. It will also be very interesting to see how they will react on this stage. Yes, it's not Michigan-Ohio State--it is so much more than that.xthumbsupx

[65 Pard]

Yes, it's not Michigan-Ohio State--it is so much more than that.xthumbsupx

As a former Michigan season ticket holder, I have been to Ohio State-Michigan games......they don't even come close in crowd and team intensity to L-L.

[kardplayer]

For anyone going to the game, I'll be tailgating/BBQ'ing next to the grassy knoll behind Stabler (effectively straight out from the stadium).

I'll be sitting in Section EP row 2, seats 15-18 stop by and say hello if you get a chance.

This will be my 7th or 8th Lehigh/Lafayette - I'm thinking the 50 game club is probably out of reach. When the kids get a little older, I'll start bringing them, so they have a head start...

[LU73]

I'm thinking the 50 game club is probably out of reach.

Don't ever think that 50 is unattainable. As a '73 grad, this year will be my 37th Game. At age 56, I figure I've easily got enough left to make 50 games. Hopefully, I'll get to the game where Lehigh takes over the lead in the series!

[Engineer91]

For anyone going to the game, I'll be tailgating/BBQ'ing next to the grassy knoll behind Stabler (effectively straight out from the stadium).

I'll be sitting in Section EP row 2, seats 15-18 stop by and say hello if you get a chance.

This will be my 7th or 8th Lehigh/Lafayette - I'm thinking the 50 game club is probably out of reach. When the kids get a little older, I'll start bringing them, so they have a head start...

Hey I bought a ticket for my son while he was still in the womb!
So he is 2 1/2 and attending his 4th game :D (His first game in the "light of the day" was the OT game at Delaware) This will be # 21 for me 1987-2007 but I don't have all the tickets or programs.

First one in 1987 was memorable in that it was so $#%# cold

[Engineer91]

Hopefully, I'll get to the game where Lehigh takes over the lead in the series!

That is definitely one of my goals!

[Pards Rule]

Don't ever think that 50 is unattainable. As a '73 grad, this year will be my 37th Game. At age 56, I figure I've easily got enough left to make 50 games. Hopefully, I'll get to the game where Lehigh takes over the lead in the series!

And I'm an '84 grad who will be attending my 28th! To show how this game affects the psyche of folks I had a dream last night I MISSED this years game! I remember watching it on TV and at the end of the game recognizing that I broke my streak attending games. Needless to say, I awoke with a great sense of relief! Somewhat.

[LCFan21]

Make sure you strap those helmets on tight Saturday!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xm8JGWJpi-4

xeekx xeekx xeekx

[LU73]

Now that I think about it, 2020 is the year. I'll be 69. I'l be attending my 50th Game. And, barring any "Upsets" in the meantime, Lehigh will take the lead in the series, 76-75-5. Sweet.

[Lehigh74]

I'll be happy if we can win on Saturday. After Lafayette just finished spending $30,000,000 on football facilities, I don't think Lehigh is likely to take the series lead anytime soon.

[ngineer]

For anyone going to the game, I'll be tailgating/BBQ'ing next to the grassy knoll behind Stabler (effectively straight out from the stadium).

I'll be sitting in Section EP row 2, seats 15-18 stop by and say hello if you get a chance.

This will be my 7th or 8th Lehigh/Lafayette - I'm thinking the 50 game club is probably out of reach. When the kids get a little older, I'll start bringing them, so they have a head start...

Well, at least you'll be in the sun, should it decide to come out. Forecast is partly cloudy and 47 degrees. Not bad for late November. This will be my 36th game..missed only one since my first in 1970, so I fully expect to make the '50 Game Club' at the ripe old age of 69.xnodx

[Pards Rule]

Hey I bought a ticket for my son while he was still in the womb!
So he is 2 1/2 and attending his 4th game :D (His first game in the "light of the day" was the OT game at Delaware) This will be # 21 for me 1987-2007 but I don't have all the tickets or programs.

First one in 1987 was memorable in that it was so $#%# cold

Remember the 1987 one (20 years on Nov. 20th!!) so well..It was -20 wind chill and I stayed the whole game (along with about 2500 other frozen souls)

[LehighFan11]

I think this will be my 10th game and im only at age 18.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Just finished wrapping up the Bucknell game stuff, and going very quickly "Around The Horn". Hope to have some more Lehigh/Lafayette stuff up later today.

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com

[carney2]

All right. I can't contain myself any longer. I am throwing out a "challenge" to one and all to record here for posterity your most memorable (whatever that means to you) edition of THE Game that you have ever witnessed. The only "rule" is that you had to be there. No rumors, please. Me first:

As I stated earlier in this thread, my most memorable was the 1961 game, and for more reasons than who won, because this one didn't go the way I wanted.

Background

Played at Lehigh's sold out (what else?!) Taylor Stadium
Lafayette entered the game with a pathetically undersized team and a record of 2-5-1.
Lehigh arrived sporting a 6-2 record and a number one ranking in the battle for the Lambert Cup, symbolic of football supremacy in the East.

Football - Part I

The book Legends of Lehigh-Lafayette describes the 4th quarter of this game as possibly "the most exciting 15 minutes in THE Game's history." Cutting to the chase however, after 59 minutes and 20 seconds, the overmatched Leopards had battled the pre-Squawk train drivers to a 14-14 tie. Lehigh had the ball at midfield with only 40 seconds remaining to save their season and their tenuous grasp on the Lambert Cup. (There were no overtimes in those days.) Lehigh QB John Denoia threw a desperation pass into double coverage that came down in the only possible 12 inches of space where receiver Pat Clark could pull it in. With less than 30 seconds remaining, the 'neers set up on the Lafayette 3. After 2 attempts had netted one yard, Lehigh coach Bill Leconby sent out Andy Larko to win the game by making his first field goal attempt in two years of trying. Larko's low kick barely got over the hands of the defense and was just downright ugly, twisting on its side like a saucer and almost hitting the upright as well as the crossbar. Again, from Legends of Lehigh - Lafayette, "After six turnovers, two penalties, a 'Hail Mary' pass, and a UFO sighting [Larko's ugly field goal], the fourth quarter came to an end with Lehigh capturing a thrilling 17-14 victory."

Football - Part II

As Larko's field goal came to earth, hundreds (it seemed like thousands) of students rushed the field to claim the goal posts. As I would find out in later years, goal posts surviving into the last minute of THE Game when it was played at Taylor was an unusual occurrence. I remember them coming down at halftime and, at least once, when both goal posts were gone in the 2nd quarter. This was my first game at Taylor and quite a sight for the uninitiated. With time still on the clock, that meant that Lafayette could not possibly go for the tie. A last second Hail Mary going the other way was intercepted to end the game.

Football - Part III

One of the most memorable moments occurred in the 3rd quarter when Lafayette coach, Jim McConlogue, capitalized on one of his biggest problems of the season: too many/too few men on the field. In seemingly every game throughout that season of futility he had been caught in one of these situations or the other. Now, with the Pards facing a 2nd and 20 on their own 32, he appeared to be at it again. A timeout was called and a group of players entered the game while another group left. The center, Shapiro, seemed to be caught betwixt and between. When he would head for the sideline, the bench would motion for him to return to the field. As he turned back to the huddle, his teammates made no bones about the fact that he wasn't needed on the field. Finally, things got straightened out and the Pards came out over the ball. Every pair of eyes in the place was counting bodies at this point. "One, two, three...Jesus, there are only 10!" Every voice was screaming. The visiting side was calling McConlogue an idiot, or worse, while the home side was doubled over in laughter. The ball was snapped, and Lafayette QB, Mike Dill, straigtened up and threw a bullet into the Lafayette bench.

Unnoticed by all while the substitution confusion was taking place, the players on the Lafayette bench moved up to the sideline and crowded there with their toes right up to the chalk. (You could do that in those days.) During the substitutions, Lafayette halfback, Ray Moyer had gone to the sideline - but not quite. He stood, seemingly with his teammates on the bench, but with his feet just barely in the playing field. The pass was to Moyer who caught it and started down the sideline.

The play went for 41 yards to the Lehigh 27. None of us in the student section could see the end of it, but legend says that Moyer was never caught, never tackled. He simply tripped over a yard marker and went down.

The Ambience

Two upperclassmen in my fraternity decided to smuggle a quarter keg into the stadium. One guy was huge and found an oversized coat (a size 78, double Q, I'm sure). He put the quarter under the coat and carried it with his hands in his pockets. (Security wasn't all that good in those days.) His accomplice had the tickets and also had the tap stuffed down his pants leg. Obviously he walked with a decided limp. Unbelievably, they were not challenged. They set up the keg in the stands and tapped it. The big guy absent mindedly turned and offered the first cup to the guy behind him - K. Roald Bergethon, President of Lafayette College. No problem. We emptied it. After the game, Dr. Bergethon found us to state that, athough he did not approve of our conduct, he wanted to complement us on our gentlemanly behavior and deportment.

There ya go. More than you ever wanted to know about a game most of you never saw.

[The Historian]

My first game was 1962, but everyone talk about the 1961 game the following year. In the 1962 game, Andy Larko blocked a Lafayette extra point that enable Lehigh to take a 7-6 lead in the fourth quarter. Lehigh won 13-6.

Lehigh scored its first touchdown on a pass to Pat Clark in the back of the end zone. The next day there was a picture in the old Globe Times of Clark catching the pass with one of Lehigh's offensive tackles standing next to him. The officials missed that one.

[Leo-Pard]

Since all of the games in during my student years were losses, I would have to say that the 2002 game is most memorable for me in person.
That was the game that flip-flopped everything I knew about Lafayette football.
The team nearly was disbanded in the year and half prior to that game and to come out and beat a vastly superior Lehigh team, it just changed everything.
Since then we have won 4 of 5 and 3 in a row.
I remember sitting with my friends, who all came back to crash at the off-campus houses as sketchy alumni. Everyone had a sense that something could happen because Lehigh was letting Lafayette hang around. And then there was "The Drive" that wouldn't die.
I believe it started at the 10 yard line and game was tied. Got to a 4th down on the 40 yard line and Lafayette lined up for a field goal! Everyone in the stands knew it was going to be a fake, apparently no one told the Lehigh staff or players. The drive continued and ended up with the winning score with very little time left.
The students ended up rushing the field and it was the first time I saw them take down the goalposts at Fisher. And these were the permanent goalposts.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I could go on all day, pretty much, on this topic.

Of the 18 I have witnessed first hand, there are five that really stand out: 1988, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2005. But they all had different honors at stake. Can you compare the '93 game for Lehigh's first PL championship to '99's game where Russo's last game as head football coach almost delivered a knockout blow to Lehigh's at-large hopes? It's real difficult to quantify.

If someone put a gun to my head, even though it was a loss I'd have to say the 2005 game was the most memorable, and the reason was what was at stake for Lehigh in that game. My I-AA diary (http://i-aa.org/article.asp?articleid=74400) at that time gives a good summation of the emotions.

[Franks Tanks]

Since all of the games in during my student years were losses, I would have to say that the 2002 game is most memorable for me in person.
That was the game that flip-flopped everything I knew about Lafayette football.
The team nearly was disbanded in the year and half prior to that game and to come out and beat a vastly superior Lehigh team, it just changed everything.
Since then we have won 4 of 5 and 3 in a row.
I remember sitting with my friends, who all came back to crash at the off-campus houses as sketchy alumni. Everyone had a sense that something could happen because Lehigh was letting Lafayette hang around. And then there was "The Drive" that wouldn't die.
I believe it started at the 10 yard line and game was tied. Got to a 4th down on the 40 yard line and Lafayette lined up for a field goal! Everyone in the stands knew it was going to be a fake, apparently no one told the Lehigh staff or players. The drive continued and ended up with the winning score with very little time left.
The students ended up rushing the field and it was the first time I saw them take down the goalposts at Fisher. And these were the permanent goalposts.


I was on the team in 2002, and early in the week assistant coach Bob Heffner noticed that Lehigh's FG block team leaves an opening for a fake. We practiced that fake all week, and I never though we would actually use it. I remember learning we were calling the fake and thinking "Frank your an Idiot everyone knows it a fake" why not just go for it on 4th. Then somehow someway Lehigh had no indication we were gonna run a fake and we got the first down and then drove the rest of the way for the TD. It ended 7 years of strife--2005 was also great but 2002 is tops for me so far.

[The Last Engineer]

Who remembers the riots after the 1991 game? It was the first year that the goalposts were considered off limits to the fans. The school brought in these H-shaped steel monsters that would have required 45 minutes, four oxyacetylene torches and a Mack truck to tear down. Nonetheless, the school hired something like 120 extra security guards to defend these things after the game.

Shortly after the clock ran out on the Engineers' 36-18 victory, about 3,000 people wandered onto the field. The crowd then slowly surrounded the south goal post, which was being protected by several dozen of the security guards. After much verbal abuse and thrown sod, the guards opened up the pepper spray and all Hell broke loose. Kids running everywhere, batons flying, arrests left and right... and the goalposts never got touched. Well, at least not the ones inside Goodman Stadium. The ones on the adjoining practice fields were not so lucky.

The next year in Easton, there was a fence between the fans and the field and the kickoff was moved back to 10:45am to try and dissuade the drinking and violent behavior. That game (32-29 to those SOB's from Easton) was hugely entertaining, featuring Lehigh WR Jason Cristino going for 319 receiving yards on the day. No goalposts were harmed that day.

Have I mentioned that I love being part of the best rivalry in all of college football?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Who remembers the riots after the 1991 game? It was the first year that the goalposts were considered off limits to the fans. The school brought in these H-shaped steel monsters that would have required 45 minutes, four oxyacetylene torches and a Mack truck to tear down. Nonetheless, the school hired something like 120 extra security guards to defend these things after the game.

Shortly after the clock ran out on the Engineers' 36-18 victory, about 3,000 people wandered onto the field. The crowd then slowly surrounded the south goal post, which was being protected by several dozen of the security guards. After much verbal abuse and thrown sod, the guards opened up the pepper spray and all Hell broke loose. Kids running everywhere, batons flying, arrests left and right... and the goalposts never got touched. Well, at least not the ones inside Goodman Stadium. The ones on the adjoining practice fields were not so lucky.

The next year in Easton, there was a fence between the fans and the field and the kickoff was moved back to 10:45am to try and dissuade the drinking and violent behavior. That game (32-29 to those SOB's from Easton) was hugely entertaining, featuring Lehigh WR Jason Cristino going for 319 receiving yards on the day. No goalposts were harmed that day.

Have I mentioned that I love being part of the best rivalry in all of college football?

That was my senior year. I'm proud to say that I didn't storm the field - my buddies and I said that you'd have to be crazy to try it with the cops on the field. I remember well the cops in riot gear, slowly marching down the 50 yard line, working their way to the students with sod flying at them. Not a banner day for "the Rivalry".

[Lehigh Football Nation]

More talk about "The Rivalry", looking at the statistics, comparing to other rivalries, and keeping some of the games alive.

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com

[ngineer]

Great Thread Carney...and good repaste of the 1961 Game that I've a lot about but was not present.
I have attended 35 Games and for pure excitement and entertainment I'd be hard pressed to the name The One. In terms of adding drama I would say 1995's Klingerman Catch and 2005's The Throw are on equal footing. Each being either fondly remembered or a revisited nightmare.
As far as a most 'memorable event' at an L-L Game, the goal posts coming down at halftime in Taylor Stadium in 1975 while the Marching 97 were performing and Lehigh leading by a bunch.
The toss-fest between Baur and Harris was tremendous. Harris started the season as the second QB, but took over late in the season. Harris threw for 430 yards (372 yds in the first half), while Baur threw for 309. The teams totaled 1257 yards. With 85 passes thrown, there was only 1 interception (by Lafayette). Although Lehigh led 35-30 at the half, Lafayette prevailed, 52-45.

[carney2]

the 2002 game is most memorable for me in person.

Lafayette lined up for a field goal! Everyone in the stands knew it was going to be a fake,

Not everyone. I thought that Frank was actually going to give Ziska a shot. Earlier in the year he had tried a 52-yarder at Duquesne. Number 1 had the leg for it. Unfortunately, he had some trouble with direction.

[Franks Tanks]

Not everyone. I thought that Frank was actually going to give Ziska a shot. Earlier in the year he had tried a 52-yarder at Duquesne. Number 1 had the leg for it. Unfortunately, he had some trouble with direction.

Ziska wasnt on the team yet--we had Marty Brecht who was soild but not spectacular so a FG of that distance would have been a stretch.

[Mod66]

I could just post a link to this thread in the 'fact of the day' or I could make this a sticky and just call it a Month. Thank you all for your memories.

[carney2]

Ziska wasnt on the team yet--we had Marty Brecht who was soild but not spectacular so a FG of that distance would have been a stretch.

Oops. You're right. Ziska was on last year's team so his first year had to be 2003. Still, Frank did try a 52-yarder at Duquesne in that 2002 season, so I was convinced that he would give it a try here. I'm not real clear on this, but wasn't it a fake if, and only if, Lehigh lined up a certain way? Otherwise, the kick was to be tried. Anyone have information or a better memory on this point?

[Franks Tanks]

Oops. You're right. Ziska was on last year's team so his first year had to be 2003. Still, Frank did try a 52-yarder at Duquesne in that 2002 season, so I was convinced that he would give it a try here. I'm not real clear on this, but wasn't it a fake if, and only if, Lehigh lined up a certain way? Otherwise, the kick was to be tried. Anyone have information or a better memory on this point?

I believe it was a Fake all the way --if Lehigh didnt line up correctly I think the plan was to call a timeout and go for it. That long field goal at Duquesne was with like one second left--total desperation. The score was tied against Lehigh and there was a few minutes left so the situation wasnt a last chance effort so a probably wouldnt have went with such a low percentage play. Of course Frank almost went for the FG in 2005 as well, before he changed his mind and the completion to Hurt ensued.

[carney2]

Of course Frank almost went for the FG in 2005 as well, before he changed his mind and the completion to Hurt ensued.

There's another one I never fully understood. Frank has said that he did not ever plan to kick that one, but he did indeed have the field goal team on the field before the timeout.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

There's another one I never fully understood. Frank has said that he did not ever plan to kick that one, but he did indeed have the field goal team on the field before the timeout.

That could be true: Tavani went for it on fourth down three times in Lehigh territory that game, only completing the "The Pass" for the only fourth down conversion on the day (I think). He's probably telling the truth - he had probably planned to call the timeout anyway, and maybe could catch Lehigh off guard with personnel.

[LehighFan11]

Does anyone know if McGowan will be available to play and will Sedale still be reduced to his "Tim Tebow" like role?

[The Last Engineer]

Does anyone know if McGowan will be available to play and will Sedale still be reduced to his "Tim Tebow" like role?

McGowan has been a quesion mark heading into the last few games. Maybe he'll play... maybe he won't even dress. I couldn't even fathom a guess about him (or Pastore, for that matter) contributing on Saturday. There might be a medical redshirt opportunity for McGowan. He has only played in 2 games this season and it seems like 3 games is the cutoff.

Threatt's role seems to be pretty much cemented as a run-only semi-option QB. He looked sharp against Bucknell (which might not be saying much... sorry Bison fans) but he seems to have adapted to his new role of running QB and occasional WR pretty well. You gotta respect his willingness to do anything he can to get onto the field, particularly considering his shoulder injury. While his on-field performance has been the subject of much debate, his leadership should not be questioned. He is one of the few loud voices on an all-too-often quiet sideline... always cheering, psyching up his teammates.

All that being said, I would not be shocked to see him try a pass or two against an overly stacked and, hopefully, overconfident defense. A couple of short passes from him might help keep the D off-balance. Coen has every reason to pull out all of the stops this year.

[Pard94]

Ahh the memories. I remember that 91 game with the riots. I remember standing on the sidelines thinking how you could just feel the tension building. Way too many cops looking for something to happen. I recall all of us players putting our helemts ON as the clock wound down. Watching in disbelief as students are getting pepper sprayed and clubbed!

Despite playing in 4 of these great games my fondest memory may just be the 2004 game..."The Hurt". I was down at the telecast party at The Black Rose in Boston. The place was filled mostly with Lehigh folks who were justifiably loud for most of the contest. To see Jonathan Hurt catch that ball and stumble into the endzone...the stunned faces of the Lehigh fans, I get misty just thinking about it. That was perhaps the moment for me when I realized Lafayette had finally turned a corner and The Dark days were over.

And of course playing in the 92 game with a young Erick Marsh running wild on his way to the game MVP...that was fun too.

[Leo-Pard]

"The Catch" or "The Hurt" was in 05 but anyway...
I remember that one too, that was my lil sister's first L-L game.... she was 16 at the time and she had no idea what she was in for.
(And what is unique about L-L games is the wide spectrum of things that happen.... you see upperclass tailgating and less than 2 mins later you hear some of the most vile things coming out of people's mouths, directed at the opposing school)
I was sitting in the middle of the Lafayette fan section during that game and when he caught the pass, I remember very little except noise; loud noise. I remember jumping around on the bleachers and I remember seeing the Lehigh fan sections around us sitting down, just staring into space.
From a neutral point, "The Catch" was dramatic b/c of OT but "The Pass" was more exciting b/c very few people expected the result given the score, the down and distance and the time on the clock.
I vividly remember a group of Lafayette Students yelling and screaming while running out of the stands after the game. They were chanting and shouting "Lehigh sucks!" and various other things... the Lehigh fans had no energy to even retort. I expected a brawl to ensue but there was nothing, they had nothing for the Lafayette fans after that game.

Now that Lafayette has evened the playing field in recent years from what it was in the 90's, I truly hope we can get some more GREAT games with GREAT finishes.

[carney2]

And of course playing in the 92 game with a young Erick Marsh running wild on his way to the game MVP...that was fun too.

I don't have the exact number but Erik Marsh rushed for something like 865 yards in his 4 games against Lehigh. That's a career for some backs.

[carney2]

From a neutral point, "The Catch" was dramatic b/c of OT but "The Pass" was more exciting b/c very few people expected the result given the score, the down and distance and the time on the clock.

My faulty memory has been corrected in this thread, and you corrected Mr. 94 (who, by the way needs a lot of correcting) with his erroneous designation of 2004 as the year that Jonathon Hurt made the 4th & 10 catch. (Shame on you, 94. Lehigh is odd. You know that.) Now it is my turn to correct you. Both the 1995 Brian Klingerman catch in the glow of the scorebard lights and the Jonathon Hurt catch in 2005 have entered the lore and legend of THE Game. You should never again refer to either in words other than their "official" legend titles:

The 1995 Klingerman catch is "The Catch in the Gloaming."

The 2005 Jonathon Hurt catch is "The Big Hurt."

Get with the programxnodx

[LehighFan11]

I am really hoping that the move of starting Bokosky and using Sedale as only a running QB was to get critics off Sedale and possibily set a trap for Lafayette. I know this is the college level and information about injuries are not widely available. But with Lehigh saying last week that Sedale wasn't going to throw again, could that be setting a trap? Why would Coen line Sedale up at QB with the defense knowing he can only run. I think they will try a bit of both Sedale and Bokosky at QB. Possibily if things go well, Sedale won't throw. I would venture to guess that if Lehigh is trailing in the 2nd half and Lafayette is ganging up on the run, that Sedale would throw some passes. I'm hoping for a well developed gameplan by Coen that will mix everything in and surpise Lafayette. Notice the continual use of the word "hope".

[ngineer]

Sedale will throw only if he's physically capable. The guy has a torn rotator cuff, so all depends on how severe the tear is. Except for McGowan, Lehigh is in pretty good shape. The WR's are finally back. Seems like just as one got back they'd 'retweak' the hammies. McGowan is a ? for Saturday...Coen says he's "day to day". I think the D is fully ready to go. I think both teams will be pulling all sorts of stuff they haven't shown on film. Lafayette has shown a very good and diversified blitz package all year--depending on the type of offense is presented. The mixing of Threatt and Bokosky could keep them off balance in terms of personnel they'd want on the field. Special teams will be big in this game. Both teams have very good punters and kickers as well as return men. I'm already starting to feel the blood rising, and IT'S ONLY WEDNESDAY!:D

[LehighFan11]

Sedale will throw only if he's physically capable. The guy has a torn rotator cuff, so all depends on how severe the tear is. Except for McGowan, Lehigh is in pretty good shape. The WR's are finally back. Seems like just as one got back they'd 'retweak' the hammies. McGowan is a ? for Saturday...Coen says he's "day to day". I think the D is fully ready to go. I think both teams will be pulling all sorts of stuff they haven't shown on film. Lafayette has shown a very good and diversified blitz package all year--depending on the type of offense is presented. The mixing of Threatt and Bokosky could keep them off balance in terms of personnel they'd want on the field. Special teams will be big in this game. Both teams have very good punters and kickers as well as return men. I'm already starting to feel the blood rising, and IT'S ONLY WEDNESDAY!:D

I agree, Kennedy and Leo must play a huge role if Lehigh is to win.

[carney2]

Ahh the memories. I remember that 91 game with the riots.

The riots. They used to be bigger than the game. I had a friend that had no ties to either school, but just wanted to go to THE Game to see the famous riot. He didn’t last five minutes. At about that time, he sat back in his seat, said “This is ridiculous.” and would gaze no longer upon the carnage. I’m inviting you to join me in peeking at 3 of the more (in)famous of these occurrences. It would be a VERY long post if I gave them all to you in one long gasp, so I will devote one post to each. Be aware that all of the truly “great” riots took place in Lehigh’s old Taylor Stadium. It has been hypothesized that the configuration of Taylor, with its confinement and no place to disperse the kids once things got out of hand, was the primary reason, but who knows.

1991

This one has already been mentioned and took place at Lehigh’s Goodman Stadium rather than Taylor. It was really not a noteworthy affair when compared to the game-long melees of the 1950–1980 period, but is memorable in that it was the last one that anybody remembers. I can’t add much to what has already been said other than to point out that the police pulled their paddy wagons out to the middle of the field so that they would not have to drag the unlucky few that were caught the length of the field for incarceration. All of it occurred after the game ended and, to the best of my recollection, there was no prior indication that anything would happen.

Next: 1959. The legend begins.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

It is very, very funny that carney2 mentions riots, as I mention them in my latest blog posting, as well as the other traditions surrounding "The Rivalry":

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com

[Franks Tanks]

It is very, very funny that carney2 mentions riots, as I mention them in my latest blog posting, as well as the other traditions surrounding "The Rivalry":

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com

Nice article-- I am now forcing my woman to watch "The Legends of Lafayette-Lehigh" or I am leaving her at home this year. Also the DVD is alvailable at the Lafayette book store for the low-low price of $29--better that the $60 PBS sells it for.

[Leo-Pard]

It is very, very funny that carney2 mentions riots, as I mention them in my latest blog posting, as well as the other traditions surrounding "The Rivalry":

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com

I also enjoyed the article and recall, not too long ago, my freshman year (1998) when the Chi Phi house from each school would come to the other's house (whichever school was hosting the game that year) and there would be a keg race.
We, as freshmen, had no idea what was going on but we heard it was a fun event so we went to watch. That was my first experience about how intense the rivalry was, from a student perspective.

[carney2]

1959 – The Legend Begins

This one was before even my time, so I am breaking my own “rule” by reporting on a game that I did not attend. It was THE legendary riot and the one that all future insanity was compared to - up to 1975 when a new high in low was set, one that would never be topped.

Tensions built gradually thru the 1st half with one-on-one altercations in the end zone at the closed end of Taylor Stadium. Halftime knocked the lid off the pressure cooker however, when first one, and then the other, goal post was captured by marauding bands. The gangs from the two end zones spilled on to the field and quickly expanded until they occupied the entire playing surface from end zone to end zone. The Lafayette band (they actually had one in those days) fled to the sidelines in fear for their lives and their instruments. The Lehigh band never set one foot on the field.

Both teams emerged from their locker rooms to begin the second half, only to find that football was no longer the major attraction – and no longer a possibility. There was literally no place to play, as fighting, wrestling, dancing, BSing students filled the entire playing surface and could not be moved. The small cadre of police on hand was helpless, so the Lehigh brain trust called the Pennsylvania State Police. The “staties” entered on motorcycles through the large metal gates at the closed end of the stadium and proceeded to cruise from end to end swinging their batons and blaring their sirens. They were no more effective than the Bethlehem police and the campus cops who had tried to restore order earlier. Eventually the activities on the field ran out of steam on their own and the kids wandered back to the stands. The game continued, but it was the least memorable event of the day.

Next: 1975 – The Biggest, The Baddest, The “Best”

[ngineer]

Back 'in the day' the fraternities prepared elaborate decorations including some intricate mechanical presentations. Not sure if those activities still occur.

[ngineer]

1959 – The Legend Begins

This one was before even my time, so I am breaking my own “rule” by reporting on a game that I did not attend. It was THE legendary riot and the one that all future insanity was compared to - up to 1975 when a new high in low was set, one that would never be topped.

Tensions built gradually thru the 1st half with one-on-one altercations in the end zone at the closed end of Taylor Stadium. Halftime knocked the lid off the pressure cooker however, when first one, and then the other, goal post was captured by marauding bands. The gangs from the two end zones spilled on to the field and quickly expanded until they occupied the entire playing surface from end zone to end zone. The Lafayette band (they actually had one in those days) fled to the sidelines in fear for their lives and their instruments. The Lehigh band never set one foot on the field.

Both teams emerged from their locker rooms to begin the second half, only to find that football was no longer the major attraction – and no longer a possibility. There was literally no place to play, as fighting, wrestling, dancing, BSing students filled the entire playing surface and could not be moved. The small cadre of police on hand was helpless, so the Lehigh brain trust called the Pennsylvania State Police. The “staties” entered on motorcycles through the large metal gates at the closed end of the stadium and proceeded to cruise from end to end swinging their batons and blaring their sirens. They were no more effective than the Bethlehem police and the campus cops who had tried to restore order earlier. Eventually the activities on the field ran out of steam on their own and the kids wandered back to the stands. The game continued, but it was the least memorable event of the day.

Next: 1975 – The Biggest, The Baddest, The “Best”

There is a great rendition of this riot in the book The Legends of Lehigh-Lafayette, including the 'lead up' to the riot, where the seeds were planted at the freshman game played at Lafayette the day before that resulted in both goal posts, flag poles, AND SCOREBOARD were pulled down in a related 'Tug o War" match at halftime between the freshman classes! The venom poured over the follow day at Taylor Stadium. 1959 was the last year for the 'Tug o War'. The entire Lehigh Student body was placed on probation and alcohol was banned at all social functions. However, this was short-lived as demonstrations and protests forced the Administration to rescind the ban three-days later.
The New York Times described the postgame melee as "a contest between gladiators in the Roman coliseum". One Bethlehem police officer said it was the "hardest $10" he had ever earned. T-Shirts sprung up with the phrase "I Survived the 1959 Lehigh-Lafayette Game" being sold on the streets of Easton and Bethlehem.
According to the book, the official casualty report from both schools' infirmaries list 22 Lafayette students seeking treatment from a concussion, 4 broken noses, assorted black eyes, bumps , bruises, several severe cuts about the knees (the prime target for the police billy clubs). Lehigh casualties were reported as 5 students being treated, with the most serious being an 11-stitch laceration. Lafayette's band lost their straw hats, and smashed coronet and trumpet. Only police casualty was a lost hat reported taken by a Lafayette student.
Supposedly, the 'weapon of choice' were green pears used by Lehigh students. The follow year, fruits were hard to find in the cafeterias and area supermarkets the week before the game...

[carney2]

There is a great rendition of this riot in the book The Legends of Lehigh-Lafayette, including the 'lead up' to the riot, where the seeds were planted at the freshman game played at Lafayette the day before that resulted in both goal posts, flag poles, AND SCOREBOARD were pulled down in a related 'Tug o War" match at halftime between the freshman classes! The venom poured over the follow day at Taylor Stadium. 1959 was the last year for the 'Tug o War'. The entire Lehigh Student body was placed on probation and alcohol was banned at all social functions. However, this was short-lived as demonstrations and protests forced the Administration to rescind the ban three-days later.
The New York Times described the postgame melee as "a contest between gladiators in the Roman coliseum". One Bethlehem police officer said it was the "hardest $10" he had ever earned. T-Shirts sprung up with the phrase "I Survived the 1959 Lehigh-Lafayette Game" being sold on the streets of Easton and Bethlehem.
According to the book, the official casualty report from both schools' infirmaries list 22 Lafayette students seeking treatment from a concussion, 4 broken noses, assorted black eyes, bumps , bruises, several severe cuts about the knees (the prime target for the police billy clubs). Lehigh casualties were reported as 5 students being treated, with the most serious being an 11-stitch laceration. Lafayette's band lost their straw hats, and smashed coronet and trumpet. Only police casualty was a lost hat reported taken by a Lafayette student.
Supposedly, the 'weapon of choice' were green pears used by Lehigh students. The follow year, fruits were hard to find in the cafeterias and area supermarkets the week before the game...

Great stuff. Thanks. I love this week.

[carney2]

I don't have the exact number but Erik Marsh rushed for something like 865 yards in his 4 games against Lehigh. That's a career for some backs.

I stumbled across the answer. Lafayette's Erik Marsh had a total of 878 yards rushing in his 4 games against Lehigh. That number by itself would put him in the top 15 all-time career rushers on College Hill.

[Pard94]

I stumbled across the answer. Lafayette's Erik Marsh had a total of 878 yards rushing in his 4 games against Lehigh. That number by itself would put him in the top 15 all-time career rushers on College Hill.

Yeah...he wasn't bad.

[carney2]

1975 – The Biggest, The Baddest, The “Best”

“The riot to end all riots” began with an omen rather than an altercation. As the Lehigh team was massing in the tunnel to enter the field for the opening kickoff, an unfortunate woman – well dressed and in her 30s from what I could tell – was heading to her seat via the track in front of the tunnel. The Lehigh captains had their backs to the field, waving their arms and exhorting their teammates to commit football mayhem. The captains turned simultaneously to lead the sprint onto the field. One hit the unsuspecting woman and sent her spinning toward the closed end of Taylor Stadium. The next sent her spinning back the other way, and ultimately she found herself face up on the track. Eighty or so adrenaline charged footballers then trampled her into the dirt. She was still receiving medical attention at the five minute mark of the 1st quarter.

It didn’t take long for things to heat up. A three-man contingent in the Lafayette stands was using a slingshot contraption (one holds each end, while the third man uses his entire being to pull it back as far as he can before firing) to launch who-knows-what manner of debris across the field and into the Lehigh stands. Some Lehigh students formed a commando unit to take out the enemy artillery. Unfortunately, the position was heavily defended, and an entire section of the visiting stands was soon engulfed in a savage battle for the slingshot. Portions of the battle literally tumbled out the bottom of the stands and onto the track, and even threatened to overwhelm the Lafayette bench. Things eventually evolved into pointing and cursing, with the Bethlehem police “encouraging” the Lehigh students to return to their assigned area.

The closed end of Taylor Stadium usually acted as a magnet for the rowdies. No exception on this day. Things escalated in that area through the second quarter, moving from one-on-one altercations to ever larger group confrontations. By halftime there were hundreds of kids in that end zone. They lost interest in battling each other when the teams left the field for halftime and turned their attention to the nearest goalpost. In a demonstration of what can only be termed bureaucratic insanity, the Bethlehem Police and a contingent of rent-a-cops decided to make a stand and save the goalpost. From here it was almost comical. The kids would simultaneously shuffle forward a few steps and then be met by mace from the cops. One or two of the kids would move out of the front line, but the mob remained intact. Finally, with a roar that could be heard in New Jersey, they charged the uprights. The cops turned and fled. One rent-a-cop – a small man who appeared to be in his 60s – just could not get going. His feet were moving, but he wasn’t. The mob got hold of each upright and suddenly the crossbar had no support, falling directly on the unfortunate rent-a-cop and driving him onto the ground. Within seconds he was swallowed by the surging mob that pounced on the crossbar and began to devour it.

Just like 1959, the mob quickly spread out over the entire field, fighting, wrestling, and using “hit and run” maneuvers against each other. It was mayhem. One source reported that there were 300 people on the field. It seemed at least twice that number. A large circle formed around two individuals determined to duke it out. The Thrilla in Manila it wasn’t. I don’t think that either combatant landed a serious blow. As the “fight” came to an end, one of them tried to adjust his jacket only to find that he had sleeves – and nothing else. A tall portly dandy who appeared slightly older than the rest and sporting formal wear (I swear, formal wear!) pulled up one of the red Styrofoam end zone markers and started skipping in figure 8 fashion around the field belting people over the head with the marker.

The teams returned to find that their play pen had been converted to a latter day Roman Colosseum. The police, who apparently hadn’t learned anything from their goal post fiasco at the closed end of the field had now circled their wagons to make a determined defense of the goal post at the other end. Noticing that neither band had been able to get on the field at halftime and that now the second half could not begin, they advanced out of the end zone, using mace in an attempt to clear the field. Apparently they had not been taught at the police academy that mace is fairly ineffective in the wide open spaces against drunken, agile 19 year olds. They failed and the melee continued unabated with the players on the sideline providing an unwilling audience.

The kids began to drift to the open end of Taylor Stadium to begin an assault on the remaining goal post. (It turned out that the cops had learned their lesson after all, and this one fell quickly, almost without opposition.) As the kids massed in the end zone, the football people felt “safe” to resume play. Football didn’t last long, as very early in the 3rd quarter one lone rioter carrying a 3 foot splintered souvenir emerged from the mass in the end zone. He advanced to the 40 yard line and turned to salute the home stands, waving the piece of post above his head. The game came to a halt as the players stood around and watched the “action.” A second rioter ran up the field, apparently intending to confiscate the trophy. He attempted to tackle the man with the post, but botched it and slid down to the ground where he held tightly to his opponent’s ankle. The man with the goal post fragment attempted to pull away but was held fast. He looked baffled, but finally began to beat the man on the ground with his wooden prize. A small squad of police ushered the two combatants and their prize off the field.

Sporadic shoving matches and fights continued throughout the stadium, and particularly down on the track where groups of students were attempting to break the goal posts into smaller pieces. Early in the 4th quarter a Lafayette student ran through the Lehigh cheerleaders, stealing a megaphone and sprinting across the 15 yard line with his prize. In hot pursuit came a male Lehigh cheerleader who had all the qualities of a defensive back. He ran down the thief about halfway across the field and they both went to the ground in a clawing, scratching ball. Again, the game stopped as the players watched the “action.”

About 10 minutes later two Lehigh students retaliated by abducting a Lafayette cheerleader and began dragging her across the 10 yard line while the players again stopped to watch. As I recall, the cheerleader was the daughter of former Lafayette great and then Princeton basketball coach, Pete Carill, but the young lady and I were not on a first name basis so I could be mistaken. A contingent of Lafayette students charged out of the end zone to rescue her. The vastly outnumbered Lehigh boys did not fare too well in that one.

A football game was played on that same field and same day. Despite the fact that I have a very clear recollection of the lunatic activities described above, I recall absolutely nothing about that game. I looked it up last night: Lehigh won, 40-14, and the MVP was current Lehigh Dean of Athletics, Joe Sterrett. It was all news to me.

Next: Aftermath

[ngineer]

1975 – The Biggest, The Baddest, The “Best”

“The riot to end all riots” began with an omen rather than an altercation. As the Lehigh team was massing in the tunnel to enter the field for the opening kickoff, an unfortunate woman – well dressed and in her 30s from what I could tell – was heading to her seat via the track in front of the tunnel. The Lehigh captains had their backs to the field, waving their arms and exhorting their teammates to commit football mayhem. The captains turned simultaneously to lead the sprint onto the field. One hit the unsuspecting woman and sent her spinning toward the closed end of Taylor Stadium. The next sent her spinning back the other way, and ultimately she found herself face up on the track. Eighty or so adrenaline charged footballers then trampled her into the dirt. She was still receiving medical attention at the five minute mark of the 1st quarter.

It didn’t take long for things to heat up. A three-man contingent in the Lafayette stands was using a slingshot contraption (one holds each end, while the third man uses his entire being to pull it back as far as he can before firing) to launch who-knows-what manner of debris across the field and into the Lehigh stands. Some Lehigh students formed a commando unit to take out the enemy artillery. Unfortunately, the position was heavily defended, and an entire section of the visiting stands was soon engulfed in a savage battle for the slingshot. Portions of the battle literally tumbled out the bottom of the stands and onto the track, and even threatened to overwhelm the Lafayette bench. Things eventually evolved into pointing and cursing, with the Bethlehem police “encouraging” the Lehigh students to return to their assigned area.

The closed end of Taylor Stadium usually acted as a magnet for the rowdies. No exception on this day. Things escalated in that area through the second quarter, moving from one-on-one altercations to ever larger group confrontations. By halftime there were hundreds of kids in that end zone. They lost interest in battling each other when the teams left the field for halftime and turned their attention to the nearest goalpost. In a demonstration of what can only be termed bureaucratic insanity, the Bethlehem Police and a contingent of rent-a-cops decided to make a stand and save the goalpost. From here it was almost comical. The kids would simultaneously shuffle forward a few steps and then be met by mace from the cops. One or two of the kids would move out of the front line, but the mob remained intact. Finally, with a roar that could be heard in New Jersey, they charged the uprights. The cops turned and fled. One rent-a-cop – a small man who appeared to be in his 60s – just could not get going. His feet were moving, but he wasn’t. The mob got hold of each upright and suddenly the crossbar had no support, falling directly on the unfortunate rent-a-cop and driving him onto the ground. Within seconds he was swallowed by the surging mob that pounced on the crossbar and began to devour it.

Just like 1959, the mob quickly spread out over the entire field, fighting, wrestling, and using “hit and run” maneuvers against each other. It was mayhem. One source reported that there were 300 people on the field. It seemed at least twice that number. A large circle formed around two individuals determined to duke it out. The Thrilla in Manila it wasn’t. I don’t think that either combatant landed a serious blow. As the “fight” came to an end, one of them tried to adjust his jacket only to find that he had sleeves – and nothing else. A tall portly dandy who appeared slightly older than the rest and sporting formal wear (I swear, formal wear!) pulled up one of the red Styrofoam end zone markers and started skipping in figure 8 fashion around the field belting people over the head with the marker.

The teams returned to find that their play pen had been converted to a latter day Roman Colosseum. The police, who apparently hadn’t learned anything from their goal post fiasco at the closed end of the field had now circled their wagons to make a determined defense of the goal post at the other end. Noticing that neither band had been able to get on the field at halftime and that now the second half could not begin, they advanced out of the end zone, using mace in an attempt to clear the field. Apparently they had not been taught at the police academy that mace is fairly ineffective in the wide open spaces against drunken, agile 19 year olds. They failed and the melee continued unabated with the players on the sideline providing an unwilling audience.

The kids began to drift to the open end of Taylor Stadium to begin an assault on the remaining goal post. (It turned out that the cops had learned their lesson after all, and this one fell quickly, almost without opposition.) As the kids massed in the end zone, the football people felt “safe” to resume play. Football didn’t last long, as very early in the 3rd quarter one lone rioter carrying a 3 foot splintered souvenir emerged from the mass in the end zone. He advanced to the 40 yard line and turned to salute the home stands, waving the piece of post above his head. The game came to a halt as the players stood around and watched the “action.” A second rioter ran up the field, apparently intending to confiscate the trophy. He attempted to tackle the man with the post, but botched it and slid down to the ground where he held tightly to his opponent’s ankle. The man with the goal post fragment attempted to pull away but was held fast. He looked baffled, but finally began to beat the man on the ground with his wooden prize. A small squad of police ushered the two combatants and their prize off the field.

Sporadic shoving matches and fights continued throughout the stadium, and particularly down on the track where groups of students were attempting to break the goal posts into smaller pieces. Early in the 4th quarter a Lafayette student ran through the Lehigh cheerleaders, stealing a megaphone and sprinting across the 15 yard line with his prize. In hot pursuit came a male Lehigh cheerleader who had all the qualities of a defensive back. He ran down the thief about halfway across the field and they both went to the ground in a clawing, scratching ball. Again, the game stopped as the players watched the “action.”

About 10 minutes later two Lehigh students retaliated by abducting a Lafayette cheerleader and began dragging her across the 10 yard line while the players again stopped to watch. As I recall, the cheerleader was the daughter of former Lafayette great and then Princeton basketball coach, Pete Carill, but the young lady and I were not on a first name basis so I could be mistaken. A contingent of Lafayette students charged out of the end zone to rescue her. The vastly outnumbered Lehigh boys did not fare too well in that one.

A football game was played on that same field and same day. Despite the fact that I have a very clear recollection of the lunatic activities described above, I recall absolutely nothing about that game. I looked it up last night: Lehigh won, 40-14, and the MVP was current Lehigh Dean of Athletics, Joe Sterrett. It was all news to me.

Next: Aftermath

That was an amazing game/event. I drove all the way back from Michigan, where I was in grad school, for the game. Had seats in the 'temporaries' that were erected on the visitor's side of the stadium where the, then, centerfield of the baseball stadium was. My first time to see a game in Taylor, and next to the Lafayette contingent right behind their team's bench. Had some close ups of the melee at that end of the field. Sterrett was a Kodak/AFCA All-American that year.

[Franks Tanks]

That sounds like great fun Carney --maybe the Tank will have to start his own Mini-Riot on Saturday.

[LeopardFan04]

Great stories Carney.

[kardplayer]

I posted this is the original thread a few weeks ago, but thought it was worth sharing again for those that missed it the first time...

My first Lehigh/Lafayette experience was my freshman year – 1990, the last year students got to "go for post" before the administrations decided that was a bad idea (in retrospect and especially after reading Carney's stories, they were right, but as the 1991 riot showed, not many students agreed, but I digress).

Walk into any fraternity bar at Lehigh, and you’ll see a trophy of Lehigh/Lafayette games past – a piece of a goalpost. My fraternity was new at the time – our founding fathers were seniors, and this was the first year we had enough brothers and pledges to go after it and get a trophy of our own.

During the week before the game, we had a house meeting to make our game plan. One of the brothers (I was a pledge) gave us the rules.
1. No fraternity letters – so we couldn’t be ID’ed by security, or by other houses going for post
2. No pledge pins – so it was clear we weren’t forced to do this
3. No hoods – so we couldn’t be pulled down from behind
4. Protect each other above all else

With rules in place, we then discussed our plan to actually get the post.
Our plan was simple, go hard for the post, grab on to what we could, and then have those not holding on beat up the guys that were trying to beat up our guys who were holding on. Get it back to the bus (the game was at Lafayette), and we were home free.

The day before the game, I thought would be "business as usual" in class, but I was very wrong. Halfway through my economics lecture (class size – a couple hundred), the Marching 97 (the Lehigh band) came in. They took the stage of the auditorium, played some of the fight songs, and led us in a raucous chant of Lafayette S***s (a high class bunch we were). To cap it off, they handed the professor a beer, which he promptly chugged to wild applause.

Finally gameday was upon us. The good guys won 35-14, but I remember very little of the game itself. What I do remember was standing at the gate to the football field as the game clock wound towards 0, with a few hundred (thousand?) people waiting around me to make that charge and "go for post". The security guard who was holding the gate asked us not to jump over the fence, but to just wait until the game was over and he’d open it up for us.

Sure enough, the clock struck zero, the student-athletes evacuated the field, and the student-idiots took over. As we raced towards the post along with the rest of the mob, a near tragedy occurred - my pledge brother took a header and was lying face down on the ground. Worried that he would be trampled, I started shoving people so they would go around him, and then helped him up. The good news was, he wasn’t hurt. The bad news was, we had lost the rest of our fraternity. I looked up, and the goalposts were not only down, but they were nowhere in sight.
We headed back to the bus, feeling like we had let our fraternity down, but there was a surprise waiting for us – a good long piece of goalpost was taking the ride home with us. After fighting with another house, and giving and getting some black eyes and bloody lips, the guys decided to split it down the middle – and it hung in our bar from that night onward.

[ngineer]

Yes, we have a number of goal post remenants in the trophy cases at our fraternity house in Sayre Park. Each hunk of wood carries the hoary stories of hand to hand combat engaged for its acquisition. The individual acts of heroism to obtain the post also have gotten embellished over time, to which we all acknowledge, but nod in assent. Does the '97 still make the rounds on Friday classes (obviously minus the grog)? I would expect Aronson's Eco 1 would still be a jump-off spot..Does he still teach that class. I know he is of 'emeritus status', but it is almost sacreligious for anyone other than him to teach that course.xnodx

[carney2]

Is there still a powder puff game?

For the uninitiated, both schools changed from male only to co-educational in the late sixties. Around 1971 someone decided that it would be great if the women had their own football game. The Lafayette-Lehigh Powder Puff Game was invented. I believe they played flag football, but I'm not sure.

[Franks Tanks]

Is there still a powder puff game?

For the uninitiated, both schools changed from male only to co-educational in the late sixties. Around 1971 someone decided that it would be great if the women had their own football game. The Lafayette-Lehigh Powder Puff Game was invented. I believe they played flag football, but I'm not sure.

This game didnt exist when I was in school (99-03) so I suspect its dead.

[Bogus Megapardus]

This is a perfect year for an all-out melee. Both teams are good by comparable standards, but neither team will play for the Patriot League championship or for a Football Championship Subdivision birth. My late 70s/early 80s years at one of these noble institutions (my future bride attended the other, less-noble, campus) bring to recollection a great deal of deliberately contrived, Greek-inspired, disruption leading to a bloody chin (the scars of which remain to this day, thanks to certain Easton Hospital ER interns) but also culminated in a mostly successful quest for a hunk of whitewashed, wooden goalpost from the western end of the gridiron.

In an era of politically correct decorum, I wonder if it is it possible to allow Lafayette and Lehigh students simply to let loose for just a little while on a Saturday afternoon - to allow them the bumps and bruises that signify the passing of the torch. We knew beforehand that elbows would fly and that kicks would land, but it was welcomed and it was exciting; not only were we ready and willing to accept the challenge, but no one would dare rat out the opposing school for an indignity or three committed by the opposing hated. We despised them, but we would defend with our blood their irreproachable right to do the same in return.

[Pards Rule]

My recollections of great games were the 1981 one especially (Lafayette HC Bill Russo's first) when the two teams came into the game evenly matched at 8-2 with almost identical points scored and allowed and - in the epitome of the disregard that "little school on the hill" gets - Lafayette was a solid 8 point underdog. A great defensive battle ended in a 10-3 Leopard win. The 1994 game was excellent cause we were supposed to get destroyed (LC had lost their first six games but then was in a position to run the table as it had all Patriot games left and did so setting up a good battle vs. its last Patriot foe) but the Pards won going away, 54-20. I recall that game so well cause the Leopard mascot was involved in various fisticuffs with Lehigh fans seated in the home section. The 2002 game was a relief to break a 7 game losing streak and who can forget the Big Hurt two years ago. Of course the 1995 game (double OT) deserves mention. Does anyone recall that when Lafayette was in the process of putting up a big lead, the kicker (Genduso?) missed a PAT but at the time it seemed insignificant. Of course with the scored tied at 30 at the end of regulation (and daylight) it was huge.

[ngineer]

This game didnt exist when I was in school (99-03) so I suspect its dead.

That's a shame. Lafayette went coed in 1970 and Lehigh the following year. The Powder Puff game started almost right away and had become a pretty lively event. Now with coeducations firmly entrenched and so many more females, one would think they could easily field teams. Yes, it was flag football.

[ngineer]

Great Pep Rally tonight in Lower Saucon for the Lehigh Seniors (21 of them). About 200 people filled the SEWYCO Fire Hall for the South Side Boosters annual rally for The Game, plus a good contingent from the Marching '97. HC Coen addressed the group as did the captains and a few of the Club members. In any sport, but this being football, you always remember your last game. For both schools, virtually each senior will be playing football for the last time. You want to soak it all up, inhale it full, and throw caution to the wind, 'cause you'll never pass that way again.
LET'S TEE IT UP NOW!!!!!!xeekx

[Franks Tanks]

That's a shame. Lafayette went coed in 1970 and Lehigh the following year. The Powder Puff game started almost right away and had become a pretty lively event. Now with coeducations firmly entrenched and so many more females, one would think they could easily field teams. Yes, it was flag football.

Lafayette has a spring intramural powder puff football league that is quite popular. I got suckered into coaching one year--what a mistake. But they never played a team from Lehigh to my knowledge.

[ngineer]

Lafayette has a spring intramural powder puff football league that is quite popular. I got suckered into coaching one year--what a mistake. But they never played a team from Lehigh to my knowledge.

When I was at the U of Detroit, I coached the women's intercollegiate flag football team. I was dating one of the coeds who was part of the original organizing 'committee' and since she knew I had played asked me to take it on (;) ). So for three years I was the HC of Detroit's Fighting Titans. They had dropped men's football in 1964, so our little squad picked up the slack. I've coached other teams and sports, but those three years was really coaching--starting with the most basic of athletic skills (like the proper way to run, how to hold a football, technique, etc.). But it brought a lot of satisfaction to see their hardwork pay off. Having seen the fierce fighting in the trenches, I am convinced the Israelis know what they're doing by having women in combat--there was no honor and it was brutal.:D

[ngineer]

Word has it that due to the 'fair' forecast for Saturday, that SRO tickets for the horseshoe endzone will be sold..Not sure of the specifics. Not sure how many they would allow on "the hill". I don't think they are bringing in any temporary bleachers to set atop the hill on the plaza.

[Pards Rule]

I'm departing from Fort Lauderdale at noon back to Philly and driving up tonight. I'm ready! That simulcast at Fisher Field is gonna be VERY interesting! Great idea!!

[Franks Tanks]

When I was at the U of Detroit, I coached the women's intercollegiate flag football team. I was dating one of the coeds who was part of the original organizing 'committee' and since she knew I had played asked me to take it on (;) ). So for three years I was the HC of Detroit's Fighting Titans. They had dropped men's football in 1964, so our little squad picked up the slack. I've coached other teams and sports, but those three years was really coaching--starting with the most basic of athletic skills (like the proper way to run, how to hold a football, technique, etc.). But it brought a lot of satisfaction to see their hardwork pay off. Having seen the fierce fighting in the trenches, I am convinced the Israelis know what they're doing by having women in combat--there was no honor and it was brutal.:D


I wish the girls I coached were similar. They were just snotty soriority girls who didnt really care about doing well--Not as much fun xlolx

[carney2]

Word has it that due to the 'fair' forecast for Saturday, that SRO tickets for the horseshoe endzone will be sold..Not sure of the specifics. Not sure how many they would allow on "the hill". I don't think they are bringing in any temporary bleachers to set atop the hill on the plaza.

The forecast now has rain (30% chance) in it.

[Pard94]

I wish the girls I coached were similar. They were just snotty soriority girls who didnt really care about doing well--Not as much fun xlolx

I was actually the first women's flag football coach at Lafayette! A very good friend in DG petitoned the school and received money to start the league. I was the HC fro the undefeated Eelta Gamma Mean Machine! great fun. Those girls played hard!

Enough of this non- Lafayette vs. Lehigh prattle! GO PARDS!!!!

[Leo-Pard]

I haven't seen any confirmation anywhere about Fisher being open for the Simulcast on the video board. Nor do I see any confirmation about the grass bank being open for seating.
Anyone have their ear to the ground?

[kardplayer]

The forecast now has rain (30% chance) in it.

Not till 3pm though. Just in time for the fourth quarter...

http://www.weather.com/outlook/driving/interstate/hourbyhour/18015?begHour=12&begDay=321

[Pard4Life]

Hey any of you Pards have seats? When did you send your tickets in?

I have SRO... :(

[Pard4Life]

Great stories! Too bad nothing exciting happens in the 2000-2007 generation... some of my pathetic tales...

Last year, guy stands atop a truck in the March Field lot rooting for Lehigh... he promptly gets beer cans thrown at him.

A Lehigh woman in her 40s starts screaming at me when walking to Goodman.

A hawk swooping over the car while driving to Lehigh in 2005.. prompting me to freak out as if it's a bad omen..

xrolleyesx

[Franks Tanks]

Hey any of you Pards have seats? When did you send your tickets in?

I have SRO... :(

I got tickets like 3 months ago--Im still leveraging some contcats whom I knew when i was in school a few years ago. Not sure how i would get em otherwise.

[Pard4Life]

I got tickets like 3 months ago--Im still leveraging some contcats whom I knew when i was in school a few years ago. Not sure how i would get em otherwise.

Good idea... I know the Athetlics personnel and some trustees to boot... clearly not thinking..

If you've got contacts, use 'em!

What I don't like is that there is no priority list... if you are in the booster club, you should get priority..

ps Get season tickets next year to avoid this... apparently tickets for this game are going on sale at the Spring Game.

[Franks Tanks]

Good idea... I know the Athetlics personnel and some trustees to boot... clearly not thinking..

If you've got contacts, use 'em!

What I don't like is that there is no priority list... if you are in the booster club, you should get priority..

ps Get season tickets next year to avoid this... apparently tickets for this game are going on sale at the Spring Game.

Ya if you know any school employees they seem to get first dibs on tickets and should be able to reserve what you need

[ngineer]

The forecast now has rain (30% chance) in it.

Yes,I 've heard that, now also., but it seems as though any precipitation is to occur in the evening, hopefully.

[Go...gate]

I'll be happy if we can win on Saturday. After Lafayette just finished spending $30,000,000 on football facilities, I don't think Lehigh is likely to take the series lead anytime soon.

I think Lehigh will win this one, though it will be close.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Lehigh/Lafayette preview up:

keys to the game and fearless prediction coming soon:

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com

[Franks Tanks]

Gettin ready for the game by drinking a lot. If you see a fat (yet muscular) drunk guy with huge calves and a black leopard head hat its the Tank-come say Hi.

[kardplayer]

I'm psyched for the game, we've got a bunch of folks coming back from my house and its looking like we've got a sick tailgate getting setup.

It looks like I have an extra ticket if any Lehigh fan is still looking for one.

As my old HS coach used to say before every game, let everyone from both teams comes out of the game unhurt, and all the Lehigh guys play their very best.

Would love to meet up with some of you fine folks at the game (and the Lafayette guys too).

Go Mountain Hawks.

[ngineer]

Getting psyched! Weather will be cold, but bearable. Lookin' forward to meeting any AGSers--even of the Maroon persuasion. If you're circling the stadium, I'm in section WF, row 17(top row of lower level).
We're getting fueled up starting at 10:30 a.m. Also having a nice dinner after the game with a bunch of fellow class of '74ers. A full day and looking forward to a celebraton for our seniors..no one should go 0-4..the last game stays with you forever. Make it good!

[ngineer]

Lehigh/Lafayette preview up:

keys to the game and fearless prediction coming soon:

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com

The more I think or perseverate about this game, I am tending to agree that the score could be on the 'low side', i.e. both teams scoring under 40 combined points...like 20-16.....Lehigh, of course.;)

[LehighFan11]

I just read the Morning Call's keys to a Lehigh victory. I agree with much of them. Lehigh will have to win the turnover battle and they need a spark. Whether it comes from Kennedy in the return game, Sedale throwing a few passes, or a gutsy trick play by Coen. I really do believe the roles have reversed and Lehigh will come fired up. Lehigh should be able to win the in special teams department. Lafayette's offense really doesn't scare me, its just I dont know if Lehigh's offense will be able to move the ball. If anyone isn't watching the game and are going to check the paper tomorrow morning to see who won, before you look at the score check to see how many pass attempts Bokosky had. If over 20 pass attempts, assume a Lehigh loss. If under 20 pass attempts, assume a Lehigh win. Lehigh will not be able to win the game on the arm of Bokosky. They must run the ball effectively and use short and efficient passing. Hoping for a great game and a win for the seniors. Lehigh 24-21.

[Bogus Megapardus]

...like 20-16.....Lehigh, of course.

Not quite, but it was a really good game (from my seat, at least).

To the victor go the spoils.

[LehighFan11]

It was a great game. Congrats to Lafayette for coming from behind. I thought Lehigh played real well. Sedale played a truely gutsy preformance. Coen made a few adjustments and good play calls. Game basically came down to Lehigh's WRs and CBs are horrible. Need to strengthen the skill positions. I was impressed with the improved play by the OL and DLs. Great effort by all our seniors, just too bad they coudlnt get a win.

[Bogus Megapardus]

I saw it as a combination of the Pards defense playing up to the challenge when they had to - especially the secondary, as well as a surprisingly good performance by Lafayette QB Rob Curley. Lafayette will not have a signal-caller controversy next year, it seems.

EDIT - that missed field goal by the Engineers was huge, in retrospect.

[LehighFan11]

I saw it as a combination of the Pards defense playing up to the challenge when they had to - especially the secondary, as well as a surprisingly good performance by Lafayette QB Rob Curley. Lafayette will not have a signal-caller controversy next year, it seems.

Let me first say Curley deserves all the credit being a Soph and getting a wiin like that. But, I don't think he played that well. Lehigh's secondary got KILLED by Lafayette's WRs. They had 3 steps on Lehigh's corners all day. First drive Dorsey had 4 steps on the lehigh corner and should of walked into the end zone but curley underthrew it by 15 yards. There were many other times int he game were the lafayette wrs were so open but curley threw a bad ball but the lafayette wrs were more physical and bigger than the lehigh corners were. Congrats on a game well played, curley did enough to win but i think you should look at his preformance with some perspective.

[Bogus Megapardus]

It has been that way all year. I've watched every Lafayette game, either in person or on the telly, and the pards WRs have been open a lot. The Holy Cross game really showed what a good quarterback looks like in the PL. Lafayette will lose Shawn Adair next year, which will present a huge problem for them. Having said that, it was Curley's best game by far, because he faced a pass rush equal to that of Fordham, but he got the ball away much faster.

[Pard94]

Let me first say Curley deserves all the credit being a Soph and getting a wiin like that. But, I don't think he played that well. Lehigh's secondary got KILLED by Lafayette's WRs. They had 3 steps on Lehigh's corners all day. First drive Dorsey had 4 steps on the lehigh corner and should of walked into the end zone but curley underthrew it by 15 yards. There were many other times int he game were the lafayette wrs were so open but curley threw a bad ball but the lafayette wrs were more physical and bigger than the lehigh corners were. Congrats on a game well played, curley did enough to win but i think you should look at his preformance with some perspective.

The kid played great for a Sophomore...or a junior, or a senior. In addition to the balls he did deliver, there were a coulple that were placed perfectly that weren't caught. Did Lehigh make a few plays to disrupt him? sure. But jees, I would kind of expect they might be a good for a few defensive plays. Couldn't ask much more from Curley. He's only going to get better. I like our chances for the next two years!

[Bogus Megapardus]

The Pards' running game - a strength all season - was hobbled today, to say the least. Curley made the difference, I am quite sure. This was one of the better games in recent years, Lafayette's penalties not withstanding.

[kardplayer]

Congrats on the victory. The stat of the game: third down conversions

Lafayette 8 for 14
Lehigh 4 for 12

Add in lots of wide open receivers and you've got a victory for the pards

[LehighFan11]

Congrats on the victory. The stat of the game: third down conversions

Lafayette 8 for 14
Lehigh 4 for 12

Add in lots of wide open receivers and you've got a victory for the pards

Lehigh has been terrible on 3rd downs all year

[Franks Tanks]

My good friends dad is an extremely well connected High School Coach who knows dozens of college coaches very well--He heard Coen may get the ax for this season--this cant be true can it? He deserves at least 4 years to get a chance to prove himself.

[LehighFan11]

No Coen should stay

[Leo-Pard]

Lehigh played a very gutsy game, Threatt was doing a great job with the QB draw plays but ultimately his downfall was his inability to throw the ball. The question remains, should Coen have played the Frosh to give him big game experience?

I was at the game and I thought Curley's play was exceptional. Besides an stupid pass into triple coverage that ended up in an interception, he threw a great deep ball and got the job done when he needed to. He threw to the open man, and that is the name of the game at that position.
I'm looking forward to his continued maturation.

Threatt was Lehigh's offense today... seemed like the WR's and RB's were non-existant (except for the screen pass, which worked well 2 times). I also thought Coen's trick play was called way too early in the game.

As for Tavani... does he actually call the offensive plays? Maybe he can run it somewhere other than up the middle? Did he see all of the one-on-one press coverage the outside CB was giving on Adair that was never exploited for home run passes?

Oh well, I guess that is what you get for 4 in a row.. people critizing you in victory. And these 4 in a row are just payback to Lehigh for 7 in a row from 1995-2001.

[ngineer]

You will certainly hear some grumblings about Coen, especially in the anonymous internet; but I am sure he'll be back next year..and likely the following, assuming no further drop. I would not be surprised to see some changes in the staff.
One of the key things people overlook is the consistency Lafayette has had in their coaching staff. While Tavani is the 'motivator, recruiter, and big picture guy', I think the his assistants who have been there forever have had as much impact on the rise of the program. Lehigh, meanwhile has been going through repeated transitions all throughout the staff since 2001, with several OCs, DCs and assistants. I am not sure how much delegation of play-calling on both offense and defense Coen does, but there were some very questionable calls today that greatly effected the game.
First, on the critical drive that took 16 plays and 7 minutes, and zero points, we were running wide with backs that are not speedy. Totally puzzling.
Second, on defense, when we finally did blitz, we either got to Curley or rattled him enough to disrupt his throws..When we sat with only three rushing he killed us with all the time in the world. No DB can stay with quality WRs, like Lafayette has, with the amount of time given the QB. Same thing happened with Holy Cross.
Third, the burning of the timeouts put alot more pressure on the offense at the end when things were pressurized. It would have been good to have them.
Our kids played well and have no cause to hang their heads. Physically they played with the Leopards. In fact, I thought we did a good job controlling the running game. We just did not execute on a number of plays that could have changed the outcome. Lafayette did execute on plays that did change the outcome. Especially the key third down reception where LC's WR went up and for Curley's high pass with DB's around him that kept their TD drive alive.
I feel for our seniors. To go 0-4 against their rival will sit in their crawl the rest of their lives. I am sure those Leopards from the classes of 1999-02 can attest to that. We have an excellent returning group of players next year and Coen will certainly be under some heat to improve the results.
As one can see from some of today's scores (Bucknell, Holy Cross, Villanova, Harvard) every week is a different challenge and when you're dealing with 18-22 year olds, you're never quite sure what's going to show up. I'm sure there will be some serious evaluation over the next month.
There is no question that 6-5/5-6 records will not set will with the Alumni for any period of time. It is interesting that from 1984-1989--six straight years--Lehigh was either 6-5/5-6 (with one 5-5-1) with Whitehead (2) and Small (4). And from 1990-97, 8 seasons, Lehigh had only 4 winning seasons (Small 3, Higgins 1). So these periodic encounters with mediocrity are not at all aberations but are part of the natural cycle...we just don't want them to become permanent.
Here's to "next year"..Congrats to Lafayette on a well played and intense game. It represented what's good and exciting about true college football.
We'll get back it back next year.

PS--I apologize for the rambling and length. But this is also part of my therapy, as well as a few adult beverages from our post game dinner with the great team of 1973..;)

[Franks Tanks]

You will certainly hear some grumblings about Coen, especially in the anonymous internet; but I am sure he'll be back next year..and likely the following, assuming no further drop. I would not be surprised to see some changes in the staff.
One of the key things people overlook is the consistency Lafayette has had in their coaching staff. While Tavani is the 'motivator, recruiter, and big picture guy', I think the his assistants who have been there forever have had as much impact on the rise of the program. Lehigh, meanwhile has been going through repeated transitions all throughout the staff since 2001, with several OCs, DCs and assistants. I am not sure how much delegation of play-calling on both offense and defense Coen does, but there were some very questionable calls today that greatly effected the game.
First, on the critical drive that took 16 plays and 7 minutes, and zero points, we were running wide with backs that are not speedy. Totally puzzling.
Second, on defense, when we finally did blitz, we either got to Curley or rattled him enough to disrupt his throws..When we sat with only three rushing he killed us with all the time in the world. No DB can stay with quality WRs, like Lafayette has, with the amount of time given the QB. Same thing happened with Holy Cross.
Third, the burning of the timeouts put alot more pressure on the offense at the end when things were pressurized. It would have been good to have them.
Our kids played well and have no cause to hang their heads. Physically they played with the Leopards. In fact, I thought we did a good job controlling the running game. We just did not execute on a number of plays that could have changed the outcome. Lafayette did execute on plays that did change the outcome. Especially the key third down reception where LC's WR went up and for Curley's high pass with DB's around him that kept their TD drive alive.
I feel for our seniors. To go 0-4 against their rival will sit in their crawl the rest of their lives. I am sure those Leopards from the classes of 1999-02 can attest to that. We have an excellent returning group of players next year and Coen will certainly be under some heat to improve the results.
As one can see from some of today's scores (Bucknell, Holy Cross, Villanova, Harvard) every week is a different challenge and when you're dealing with 18-22 year olds, you're never quite sure what's going to show up. I'm sure there will be some serious evaluation over the next month.
There is no question that 6-5/5-6 records will not set will with the Alumni for any period of time. It is interesting that from 1984-1989--six straight years--Lehigh was either 6-5/5-6 (with one 5-5-1) with Whitehead (2) and Small (4). And from 1990-97, 8 seasons, Lehigh had only 4 winning seasons (Small 3, Higgins 1). So these periodic encounters with mediocrity are not at all aberations but are part of the natural cycle...we just don't want them to become permanent.
Here's to "next year"..Congrats to Lafayette on a well played and intense game. It represented what's good and exciting about true college football.
We'll get back it back next year.

PS--I apologize for the rambling and length. But this is also part of my therapy, as well as a few adult beverages from our post game dinner with the great team of 1973..;)

Bob Heffner is absolutely the best coach on the Lafayette staff and a lot of our success on offense is all his doing--both strategy and play calling. He turned down Ron Zook and IllInois to be there o-line coach to stay with us for family reasons, as his family is in the western Jersey area. Heff and Loose really run the O and D and without them Lafayette would certainly have not enjoyed this success. Lehigh's success under Higgins was just crazy, no progam can expect to sustain that. Im sure Lehigh will be back soon, but I hope it later rather than sooner as this is too much fin right now.

[LCFan21]

Bob Heffner is absolutely the best coach on the Lafayette staff and a lot of our success on offense is all his doing--both strategy and play calling.

Our offense struggled this year to say the least. We beat one team with a winning record. If he is going to be the best coach on this staff and take all the credit for the success on offense then he will need to go back to the drawing board this off season and deliver the goods in September and October not just November. This season ended on a high note but was a missed opportunity as a whole. Now that the QB situation has seemed to improve let's hope the correct adjustments are made so that we are playing T-day weekend next year.

[Franks Tanks]

Bob Heffner is absolutely the best coach on the Lafayette staff and a lot of our success on offense is all his doing--both strategy and play calling.

Our offense struggled this year to say the least. We beat one team with a winning record. If he is going to be the best coach on this staff and take all the credit for the success on offense then he will need to go back to the drawing board this off season and deliver the goods in September and October not just November. This season ended on a high note but was a missed opportunity as a whole. Now that the QB situation has seemed to improve let's hope the correct adjustments are made so that we are playing T-day weekend next year.

Most of our offensive problems can be attributed to inconsistent QB play early in the year. The coach cant throw the ball. Perhaps you can say that waiting so long to play Curley was a mistake, be he probably needed to learn the O.

[The Historian]

The point that ngineer made about the lack of continuity in the Lehigh coaching staff is one that has occurred to me. I doubt that Coen will be fired after just two years. I do think a good look at the staff is in order.

By hindsight we know that Higgins had a great staff as many of them are now head coaches. That no doubt had something to do with the great success between 1998 and 2001.

I also wonder whether Lehigh pays competitive salaries for assistant coaches. In the last few years there has been a big turnover in the assistants for the wrestling program, which has declined even faster than football.

[LCFan21]

Most of our offensive problems can be attributed to inconsistent QB play early in the year. The coach cant throw the ball.

So when we win a few games in November the coach deserves much credit for his brilliant play calling and strategies but when the offense struggles it is mostly due to poor QB play? I see your point but our offense needs work this off season. This season was not a success but did end on a very high note. Hopefully you are right and Curley will provide them with what they need from the play calling/ book end of things.

[Pards Rule]

Bob Heffner is absolutely the best coach on the Lafayette staff and a lot of our success on offense is all his doing--both strategy and play calling. He turned down Ron Zook and IllInois to be there o-line coach to stay with us for family reasons, as his family is in the western Jersey area. Heff and Loose really run the O and D and without them Lafayette would certainly have not enjoyed this success. Lehigh's success under Higgins was just crazy, no progam can expect to sustain that. Im sure Lehigh will be back soon, but I hope it later rather than sooner as this is too much fin right now.

Just back from the Lehigh Valley (where there is wet snow today!)...Agreed about "Heff". He is awesome. He has a sense of presence and commands complete respect. He doesn't overreact when I have watched him on the sidelines but tears into folks when necessary.

[Pards Rule]

Bob Heffner is absolutely the best coach on the Lafayette staff and a lot of our success on offense is all his doing--both strategy and play calling. He turned down Ron Zook and IllInois to be there o-line coach to stay with us for family reasons, as his family is in the western Jersey area. Heff and Loose really run the O and D and without them Lafayette would certainly have not enjoyed this success. Lehigh's success under Higgins was just crazy, no progam can expect to sustain that. Im sure Lehigh will be back soon, but I hope it later rather than sooner as this is too much fin right now.

Another observation that I have NEVER encountered: DC John Loose NEVER played high school or college football. He was track & field! Does anyone know how he transitioned?

[Franks Tanks]

Another observation that I have NEVER encountered: DC John Loose NEVER played high school or college football. He was track & field! Does anyone know how he transitioned?

I think Loose started as a volunteer coach at Ithica when he was in school there and just went from there. He was the LB's coach at Army before coming to Lafayette.

[Franks Tanks]

Most of our offensive problems can be attributed to inconsistent QB play early in the year. The coach cant throw the ball.

So when we win a few games in November the coach deserves much credit for his brilliant play calling and strategies but when the offense struggles it is mostly due to poor QB play? I see your point but our offense needs work this off season. This season was not a success but did end on a very high note. Hopefully you are right and Curley will provide them with what they need from the play calling/ book end of things.

No--but I think our play calling had been very steady this year and over the last 4 years or so. In other words the constant is the play calling and the variable is QB play. So if all else remains the same except a QB change, isnt it fair to assert that this variable caused the positive change. If we had a more consistent running game this year DiPaolo may have stared the whole year and been effective. But we needed someone to sling the ball around a but as the running game was just ok--Curkey was able to come in and give us the spark we needed. Dipaolo is a good kid and a solid player, but we needed what Curley brings to the table to get the O going.

[Pard94]

No--but I think our play calling had been very steady this year and over the last 4 years or so. In other words the constant is the play calling and the variable is QB play. So if all else remains the same except a QB change, isnt it fair to assert that this variable caused the positive change. If we had a more consistent running game this year DiPaolo may have stared the whole year and been effective. But we needed someone to sling the ball around a but as the running game was just ok--Curkey was able to come in and give us the spark we needed. Dipaolo is a good kid and a solid player, but we needed what Curley brings to the table to get the O going.

I heard a rumor that there was a lot of disagreement over who should get the starting nod at QB back in September. Tavani wanted DiPaola and he overuled his assistants. Not sure if it is true but that might explain some things. I agree Heff is one of the primary reasons for our success.

[Franks Tanks]

I heard a rumor that there was a lot of disagreement over who should get the starting nod at QB back in September. Tavani wanted DiPaola and he overuled his assistants. Not sure if it is true but that might explain some things. I agree Heff is one of the primary reasons for our success.

It wouldnt surprise me if DiPaola was Frank's choice-at least he shows some loyalty to a senior and gave him his chance. Would some of our losses been wins with Curley? Impossible to say, but Curley probably still had a lot of learning to do at the very beginning of the season. The good news is it appears we have a very solid QB for the next two years--the bad news is we are losing a bunch of very good defensive guys.

[ngineer]

I heard a rumor that there was a lot of disagreement over who should get the starting nod at QB back in September. Tavani wanted DiPaola and he overuled his assistants. Not sure if it is true but that might explain some things. I agree Heff is one of the primary reasons for our success.

From what I recall in reading the papers and talking to people around here it was a 'toss-up' between the two; with Curley having the better arm, but DiPaola having a better command of the offense, which makes sense. As the season progressed, Tavani obviously felt he needed to make the change as well as having seen Curley improve (I assume) in practice. The move was obviously the right one.

We will have a very interesting three-way competition next Spring, with some of the similar issues. Bokosky will obviously have a more 'experience' label whereas the two freshman, Clark and Cisneros are said to have better arms. We will have a very good returning core of players,so making the right decision at QB will go a long way toward next year's success.

[Lafayette71]

Alot has been said on this board about QB play this year, but I think that the biggest problem on offense was the lack of consistency in the running game. There were too many injuries at the RB position to overcome and the Oline play was not up to par with the previous three or four years.

Excellent win on saturday though and a great game to build on for next year on offense. It will be interesting to see what the Defense looks like next summer. Romans has been an animal for the last few years and a huge part of the success of the program.

[ngineer]

Alot has been said on this board about QB play this year, but I think that the biggest problem on offense was the lack of consistency in the running game. There were too many injuries at the RB position to overcome and the Oline play was not up to par with the previous three or four years.

Excellent win on saturday though and a great game to build on for next year on offense. It will be interesting to see what the Defense looks like next summer. Romans has been an animal for the last few years and a huge part of the success of the program.

Next year will be interesting with two of the best LB's in the Patriot next door to each other. Lehigh's Tim Diamond became a real force this year and I expect will be one of the Mountain Hawk captains.

[carney2]

Opinions are like noses, etc., etc. Here are some more.

Saturday was, in my opinion, Lehigh's best effort of the year. They had the emotional edge coming out of the locker room, and seemed to maintain that advantage for 3 quarters. First time in a few years that has happened.

Going with Threatt over Bokosky was a gutsy and brainy move on Coen's part. Bokosky would have been a sitting duck for Lafayette defensive coordinator John Loose's blitz packages. Had Bokosky started and recorded serious playing time, I believe that the rout that I half expected would have occurred. The down side of playing Threatt was, of course, the rotator cuff thing. He couldn't get anything on the ball and threw nothing but rainbows all day.

Some Lehigh people have stated that Lafayette's "very mediocre quarterback" was just given too much time, implying, I guess, that anyone without a broken arm could have done about as well. Sometimes you just have to give some credit to the other guy, and Rob Curley had a very nice game for himself. He was on target and generally made good decisions with the ball in his hands. Whether he is the "answer" for the next two years is still in some doubt however. There are 3 very talented freshmen set to challenge. (They need to step forward very soon, however. Curley has distanced himself from the pack.)

Lehigh had a good day stopping Lafayette's run package. Lehigh isn't the only school in the Lehigh Valley with some rumblings against the coaches. The play calling - particularly on first down - has been, according to some, very unimaginative and predictable, right out of the Russo/Putnam playbook.

The Lafayette fan base is very encouraged about the future. Using a winning program and the Taj MaFootball as the recruiting base we expect good things. With a solid QB, or two, or three, and an outstanding group of freshman receivers, we expect things to be very exciting in the near future. (Need to restock the lineman pipeline, however.)

[Pards Rule]

Remember the 1987 one (20 years on Nov. 20th!!) so well..It was -20 wind chill and I stayed the whole game (along with about 2500 other frozen souls)

Correction: 20 years on Nov. 21st!

[LCFan21]

No--but I think our play calling had been very steady this year and over the last 4 years or so. In other words the constant is the play calling and the variable is QB play. So if all else remains the same except a QB change, isnt it fair to assert that this variable caused the positive change.

Our offense was not good last year either so I don't buy that argument. We struggled with much of the same problems in Sept and October - that was with a Senior at QB - look I'm not saying it's all coaching but it is VERY CLEAR that our offensive coaches need to put in some extra work this off season - I have seen this same pattern over the past several seasons - all gets wiped away with a few wins in November and the same posters come out to say what a brilliant offensive mind is behind our "success" - It needs some serious work - I don't think we are that far off but to call this offense and it's "staff" a success is just way off base in my opinion.

[Leo-Pard]

look I'm not saying it's all coaching but it is VERY CLEAR that our offensive coaches need to put in some extra work this off season - I have seen this same pattern over the past several seasons - all gets wiped away with a few wins in November and the same posters come out to say what a brilliant offensive mind is behind our "success" - It needs some serious work - I don't think we are that far off but to call this offense and it's "staff" a success is just way off base in my opinion.

It's amazing to see how far we have come.... it used to be that beating Lehigh is all that the fans used to ask of a coach.

[Franks Tanks]

No--but I think our play calling had been very steady this year and over the last 4 years or so. In other words the constant is the play calling and the variable is QB play. So if all else remains the same except a QB change, isnt it fair to assert that this variable caused the positive change.

Our offense was not good last year either so I don't buy that argument. We struggled with much of the same problems in Sept and October - that was with a Senior at QB - look I'm not saying it's all coaching but it is VERY CLEAR that our offensive coaches need to put in some extra work this off season - I have seen this same pattern over the past several seasons - all gets wiped away with a few wins in November and the same posters come out to say what a brilliant offensive mind is behind our "success" - It needs some serious work - I don't think we are that far off but to call this offense and it's "staff" a success is just way off base in my opinion.

Heff is a power running, ball control conservative coach. This is what you get with him having a large influence on play calling. Its not like the days of Marko Glavic throwing the ball all over, but we are winning--have some perspective please.

[Pards Rule]

I for one am so glad Heff decided to stay with Lafayette rather than join Ron Zook's staff at Illinois as OC. He really has some bearing on the play of the guys.

[LCFan21]

Guys - I am not saying that he is a bad coach - it's great to have someone who knows how to develop that type of running game - and yes - it is no longer just about beating Lehigh - we have the nucleus of returning players to host a playoff game in 08. Hef should be drooling right now - Think about this - Russo - Ferber - White - running it right at you - Coon - Morrow etc...getting to the edge - Curley happens to be a very good ball handler and fakes extremely well - we have got to sharpen up the playbook in this area and use that more - the options and ways we can hurt our oppenents with the run is DEEP next year - we just need to add some deception and looks - tweak things a bit on that end - why not bring in three backs now and then - Passing - I think Curley with his accurate/ quick release will help us establish a better passing game early in the season - especially on shorter slants and screens but also getting the ball down the middle between the safties and LB's -this will set up the draws and aid our running game - hey I'm not trying to be negative by being critcal of the offense/ plays/ calling - I am saying we can and should do better with what we have and I hope they spend some extra time this offseason to add a more deceptive running game and timely passing - the play calls tend to be a little predictable at times so take a look at that - we are not far off!!!!!!

[Franks Tanks]

Guys - I am not saying that he is a bad coach - it's great to have someone who knows how to develop that type of running game - and yes - it is no longer just about beating Lehigh - we have the nucleus of returning players to host a playoff game in 08. Hef should be drooling right now - Think about this - Russo - Ferber - White - running it right at you - Coon - Morrow etc...getting to the edge - Curley happens to be a very good ball handler and fakes extremely well - we have got to sharpen up the playbook in this area and use that more - the options and ways we can hurt our oppenents with the run is DEEP next year - we just need to add some deception and looks - tweak things a bit on that end - why not bring in three backs now and then - Passing - I think Curley with his accurate/ quick release will help us establish a better passing game early in the season - especially on shorter slants and screens but also getting the ball down the middle between the safties and LB's -this will set up the draws and aid our running game - hey I'm not trying to be negative by being critcal of the offense/ plays/ calling - I am saying we can and should do better with what we have and I hope they spend some extra time this offseason to add a more deceptive running game and timely passing - the play calls tend to be a little predictable at times so take a look at that - we are not far off!!!!!!


ya I can agree with this--we have some real weapons coming back on offense. Adair and a slew of fast and talented backs. Also I think the playbook was kept pretty basic this year with two inexperienced QB's. I think to fair to ask for some more creativity, but we should get that with a QB will full command of the playbook and multiple weapons.

[Lehigh74]

The point that ngineer made about the lack of continuity in the Lehigh coaching staff is one that has occurred to me. I doubt that Coen will be fired after just two years. I do think a good look at the staff is in order.

By hindsight we know that Higgins had a great staff as many of them are now head coaches. That no doubt had something to do with the great success between 1998 and 2001.

I also wonder whether Lehigh pays competitive salaries for assistant coaches. In the last few years there has been a big turnover in the assistants for the wrestling program, which has declined even faster than football.

The Wrestling coaches that left became head coaches at Stamford, Maryland, Princeton and ESU. No school is going to keep an assistant coach if they get an offer to become a head coach at another school.

[ngineer]

I think Curley showed tremendous poise for a soph on the big stage for the first time; however, what really helped him was having some stellar receivers in Adair and Dorsey. The catch on third and 10 that saved the TD drive was a classic example of a very good receiver 'making a play' for the ball over the defenders around him. Fitzgerald did the same thing on his TD catch in the first quarter when he literally took the ball away from the Lafayette defender. Those kind of receivers can really make a QB look good---one of the reasons McNabb has been struggling this year.

[letsgopards04]

No--but I think our play calling had been very steady this year and over the last 4 years or so. In other words the constant is the play calling and the variable is QB play. So if all else remains the same except a QB change, isnt it fair to assert that this variable caused the positive change.

Our offense was not good last year either so I don't buy that argument. We struggled with much of the same problems in Sept and October - that was with a Senior at QB - look I'm not saying it's all coaching but it is VERY CLEAR that our offensive coaches need to put in some extra work this off season - I have seen this same pattern over the past several seasons - all gets wiped away with a few wins in November and the same posters come out to say what a brilliant offensive mind is behind our "success" - It needs some serious work - I don't think we are that far off but to call this offense and it's "staff" a success is just way off base in my opinion.


I disgree. I have big problems with Tavani's playcalling. Sometime he boggles my mind. We either run it up the middle or throw deep. We lack enough 10-15 yard passing plays. The passing plays he calls seem to have too much isolation and not enough route stacking. In order for the deep pass to be routinely successful, we need to make the free safety choose who to cover.

[letsgopards04]

I think having a healthy team will make us difficult to beat next year. Tavani is seeming to be able to replenish the defense year in/ year out. I think having Curley go right out of the gate do wonders. At the beginning of the season everyone knew that QB play was the question mark for this team and Dipaola throwing 3 INTs a game was not getting it done.

[Franks Tanks]

I disgree. I have big problems with Tavani's playcalling. Sometime he boggles my mind. We either run it up the middle or throw deep. We lack enough 10-15 yard passing plays. The passing plays he calls seem to have too much isolation and not enough route stacking. In order for the deep pass to be routinely successful, we need to make the free safety choose who to cover.

Take it from someone who stood right behind Frank for an entire year on the sideline when I tore my ACL- Me- and I'd would say that Frank actually calls 2-3 plays per game. Once in a while he will demand a play but otherwise its alll Heffner and Farigalli. You can say that Frank is ultimatley in control and the play calling is his ultimate responsibility, but he calls very few plays and isnt very involved in the specifics of game planning. For example Frank may say " I want to run it down there throats this weekend" but he doesnt design the game plan as to how that will be achieved.

[LCFan21]

Once in a while he will demand a play but otherwise its alll Heffner and Farigalli. You can say that Frank is ultimatley in control and the play calling is his ultimate responsibility, but he calls very few plays and isnt very involved in the specifics of game planning. For example Frank may say " I want to run it down there throats this weekend" but he doesnt design the game plan as to how that will be achieved.

This is very true. And to add to this - You have coaches with differing styles - Hef wants to pound and use the big boys up front while others look to air it out a little more - this can be a huge asset if used properly and managed - going into next year we have the weapons to accomplish whatever the game plan calls for at that time - I think the keys will be to add some deception in the backfield - put some better screens and slants into place and do a better job of adjusting in the games so that we find the weakness earlier and then exploit it - for example - we pounded the ball down HC throats to start the second half - that won us the game in my opinion - Lehigh would not allow us to do that so we went to the air and got it done - that is what makes an offense effective and wins games - we have the guys - let's spend some extra time this off season and build the offense so that we are prepared to utilize any of our weapons at the right times. Going to a spread is not the answer - mixing it up properly, matching our strengths to our opponents weakness sooner then later and getting all of these guys involved early IS the answer. We are going to be a very tough out for any team on our schedule this coming year. The defense will be VERY solid once again and I fully expect our offense to be much improved. This group should have 8 or 9 wins in them.

[letsgopards04]

Take it from someone who stood right behind Frank for an entire year on the sideline when I tore my ACL- Me- and I'd would say that Frank actually calls 2-3 plays per game. Once in a while he will demand a play but otherwise its alll Heffner and Farigalli. You can say that Frank is ultimatley in control and the play calling is his ultimate responsibility, but he calls very few plays and isnt very involved in the specifics of game planning. For example Frank may say " I want to run it down there throats this weekend" but he doesnt design the game plan as to how that will be achieved.

Good point. Then I guess I would direct my criticism toward the Offensive Coordinator. It just seems that our offense can get very disjointed -- run 1st and 2nd, throw a bomb on 3rd. We just seem to lack the mid distance passing game on a regular basis.

[letsgopards04]

I think Curley showed tremendous poise for a soph on the big stage for the first time; however, what really helped him was having some stellar receivers in Adair and Dorsey. The catch on third and 10 that saved the TD drive was a classic example of a very good receiver 'making a play' for the ball over the defenders around him. Fitzgerald did the same thing on his TD catch in the first quarter when he literally took the ball away from the Lafayette defender. Those kind of receivers can really make a QB look good---one of the reasons McNabb has been struggling this year.

It is reminiscient of John Weyrauch making Marko Glavic look all-world sometimes.

[Leo-Pard]

I think the only thing that dissapointed me all day long was the fact that Frank faked the reverse play like 3 times and Lehigh showed overpersuit every single time... and he decided never to run the reverse. I guess that is the fault of whoever is up on the booth not getting the info to Frank... they should have seen that.
Also, the booth person should have watched the single press coverage on Adair and should have signaled Curley to watch for it during the game and exploited it.

[Lehigh74]

It cracks me up that you Lafayette guys are complaining about poor play calling. Did you witness Lehigh's play calling on Saturday? How many quarterback draws can you run in one game? I will take whoever calls Lafayette's plays anytime. Lehigh's defensive game plan going into the Holy Cross game was to rush 3 lineman and give Randolph all day to pass. Instead of running the ball, controlling the clock and keeping Randolph off the field we consistently tried to pass the ball. You witnessed first hand on Saturday how inconsistent our passing game has been all year. With a game plan like that is it any wonder that Holy Cross dominated the game?

[Pards Rule]

Frank is locked up until 2012...and I think he would agree to an extension!