Coach K we need you!

[RichHParticipant]

Nice to win but D particularly 2ndary played poorly. 3rd period Twililight zone again for us. Mike, Soto and Ryan saved the game. Until today I was unconcerned with D. We gave up over 500 yds today. True Cross O not bad but they are not this good. Anything similar next week and we will have a 100 pt game with us on the short end.

[RichHParticipant]

OK watching tape, video terrible. We let HC run 90 plays. Gyles and zNewton only other dline to play. Talk Chagani hurt. 2ndary very poor performance. Bad tackling all around and lots of “ole” coverage. Cross O not bad but not as good as we made them look. They haven’t run well all yr. They did today . DC calls a mystery to me. Knew it would not be good from stats but watching, D was not ready.

[sundayamqbParticipant]

Boy — how do the coaches handle this? These games are heart attacks in the making …

That last drive was great — though hard to see the TD on the HC online video (and I had to turn off the announcers, the older guy was a real homer).

Lots of opportunities slipped by, but team found a way to win …

D was sloppy. Loughery, Mahoney missed; Boyko amazing; DBs shaky, though the HC tight end and Mistretta were quite good — HC OC came ready to play.

Some odd play calling on LU offense in some of the three and outs (I liked seeing Barket run behind FB).  Old special team bugaboos came out again — fumble (will Suggs ever get another return chance?) , missed XP and what should be a high-percentage FG. How can you compete at a national level when your FG kicker’s range seems less than 35 yards?

Next week’s game will go to last team standing … Seems like it might be tough to stop McCord and Colgate QB, but who knows?

[TMHParticipant]

For the most part this season, I’ve actually been pretty impressed with our front 7. The irony is that the secondary was supposed to be our strength this year. I couldn’t watch the game but either Fordham or Columbia also moved up and down the field passing and we seemed to stay in a zone the entire game. I’m not sure what DC is calling the coverages but we need to mix it up.

On the other hand, this seemed to be Mike Colvin’s best game of the year. I’m sure a healthy Spadola helped.

[vanParticipant]

Actually, D has given up a lot of yards all year, but made the big plays when needed.  Yesterday there were no big plays on D.

As for FG and PATs, not sure what happened on the PAT (bad kick, bad snap, bad hold?), but the FG miss was no gimme given the distance and the wind conditions.

Not sure I agree about front 7, LBs are solid, but not enough depth and horsepower on DL to suit me.  I think that is our weakness.

Must give credit to Cross, their O really did play well.  they have some weapons.

[jimk72Participant]

Having “watching” the game on radio in bits and pieces I can’t comment on specifics, other than Cross was about to win the game until the late fumble.  Coach’s post game comment “I’m not going to apologize for being 9 and 0” pretty well sums it up.  Great “never say die” attitude won the day again.  But this combination of Harry Houdini and The Great Wallendas can’t go on forever, can it?  Acid test next week for the defense.  And hopefully the offense  is fitted with track shoes…….. we’ll need ’em.

[RichHParticipant]

Yup, we have given up yds all yr but but my concern now is 90 O plays we gave up. HC has a good O but not that good. Given time on field Dline rotation critical. There was none. Gykes went in for Chagani whe he was hurt. Newton only sub who played. Mistake. Others injured? If not better to have an inexperienenced fresh body on field for some plays to avoid wearing out first string. LBs were super. DBs not so much. Partly no pressure on qb and our usual loose coverage. But they missed way too many tackles.
DCs IMO dida poor job preparing and calling game.

[vanParticipant]

One reason for 90 plays was how fast our O moved on some series.  We had more big plays this week than any week so far.  one long punt return, numerous long pass plays, and a 33 yard run by Colvin.

[RichHParticipant]

True big plays by us make for less TOP but doesn’t change bottom line that for Cross to get 90 we weren’t stopping them either.

[TMHParticipant]

I’m not that down on the defense YET. Statistically, we are about the same as last year.

Points allowed/g       20.4          20.2

Yards allowed/g       350            315.7

Yds/play                      4.8                4.7

IMHO, there have been 2 exceptions..Fordham and Holy Cross. Was our gameplan wrong or did we just fail to execute. At least in Fordham, we stayed in a zone all game and they just consistently picked it apart. Perhaps I’m looking through Brown and White lenses but I seem to remember a lot of games this year where the defense won it for us when they were continually playing on a short field. Georgetown comes readily to mind. Perhaps our biggest problem is halftime adjustments.

Scoring by qtr.

Score by quarters
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
Total

Lehigh
83
79
35
74
271

Opponents
34
49
64
37
184

[sundayamqbParticipant]

Three comments:

1) Regarding our DC’s coverage and HC’s offense, from the Worcester paper:

“We’ve been improving in the running game as our offensive line got healthy and our running backs have been running the ball better,” Gilmore said. “Early in the game, Lehigh was coming out and twisting up front and calling a lot of cover-2. We just felt we had a better chance to run the ball and it worked. We’ve been working on it, but also a reaction to what Lehigh was giving us.”

2) The defense did come up with a MASSIVE play in the fourth quarter — without it, HC could have sealed the deal:

From the Worcester paper:

“The Crusaders responded with Laughlin leading a march into Lehigh territory, but on second-and-10 from the 14, senior defensive end Anthony Verderame strip-sacked Laughlin and senior defensive end Tom Bianchi recovered.”

3) Lehigh’s going to have to spend a whole lot more time on offense next week, keeping Colgate off the field. Last time McCord played against Lehigh was in 2009 (as, yes, a sophomore — he did not play in 2010)  and he gained 159 yards on 32 carries in a 27-20 Colgate win at Hamilton.

Sure, LU and Colgate are different teams and they’re playing in Bethlehem, but this could be a game for the ages.

When’s the last time there were two such high-powered offenses paired up in the PL with everything at stake? It’s been a while.

LU total offense: No. 39; Colvin No. 8.

Colgate total offense: No. 3; McCarney No. 9.

Colgate’s McCord No. 4 in rushing; McCarney No. 3 in passing efficiency (Colvin No. 28))

 

 

 

[vanParticipant]

Can we invoke a rule that cancels the 3rd quarter this week?

[RichHParticipant]

LOL
Excellent idea. We can add a 5th period. Hell, we’re likely going to have multiple OTs. Better than getting swamped.

[TMHParticipant]

Then there is no truth to the rumor that if you win the coin toss, you can elect to defer the 3rd period..until Monday.

[RichHParticipant]

My nieces are wondering why I am staring at my phone laughing. Great idea we should email Joe or at least ask Andy to keep team on the field at half time.

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