Looking Ahead

Forum Forum Lehigh Sports Lehigh Football Looking Ahead

This topic contains 13 replies, has 8 voices, and was last updated by RichH RichH 8 years, 4 months ago.

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  • #23930
    marco
    marco
    Participant

    The foul taste of the 2014 debacle has been washed away. Twice as many wins and a thumping of LC can do this. Now it’s time to have an honest appraisal for 2016. I’ll start:

    On offense, 21 are expected to return on the two deep. Just about everyone who counts from an offense that improved incredibly since September. After Y ale, the points were 21,42,33,51,42,49. We have multiple receiving targets and four runners (including qb).

    At quarterback, a nice dilemma, an improving junior and a fresh who looks to be a born thrower. Also, I will now state that the OC is a keeper.

    Defense…I count 15 returning on the two deep. Is that good? With our offensive potential, we don’t need to shut anyone out. My big question concerns the DC. Is he incapable?

    Next year can be a redo of 2010,or a frustrating 5-6 season…depending upon the defense.

    Your thoughts?

    #23931

    Lehigh74
    Participant

    I’ve been watching Lehigh football for over 40 years and I can’t ever remember the defense being as bad as it has been the last two years. It was bad when Hank Small was head coach but not this bad. Clearly changes need to be made on the defensive side of the ball. The question is, is Coen willing to do what needs to be done?

    • This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by  Lehigh74.
    • This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by  Lehigh74.
    #23933

    Neighbor
    Participant

    I’ll continue to believe this Lehigh team created a better second half of the season DESPITE the coaching staff.

    Obviously, the defensive people need a big revamp. That will happen best with a new Defensive Coordinator. But, there’s more. The offensive ‘educators’ need a new look, too. The team seemed unprepared to enter the season and spent the first half of the schedule catching-up. That’s also on staff.

    . . . and do something better with those ‘blah’ team uniforms. Wide stripes down the leg, names on jerseys, etc. Little things matter in renewals, too.

    I’m hopeful the paid staff surrounding these young athletes kicks-up the ENTIRE enterprise. On and off the field!

    #24018

    TMH
    Participant

    For discussion purposes only:
    I think we are all now in agreement that our offense is in really good shape. I took a look back on our defense and tried to find a strength and frankly it was difficult. Teams seemed to be able to run at will both up the middle and around the ends. No team was afraid of our pass coverage. Here is my proposed change. I would like to see us switch back to the 4-3. We seem to finally have the type of size we need. We just need to put them in the right place. I would start by putting Cavenas and Lynn at DT. At 295# and 290#, thats a lot of beef to try to move out of the way. I’d stock the DE position with smaller, faster linemen such as H. Johnson or possibly Pendergast if he can up to speed quickly. Both are in the 6-4/5 245# range and can move pretty well.They will be much harder to block on runs to the outside. I would love to see a MLB with the size of Weir. If he’s not ready, Morrow would be a good fit. At 230#, he does not belong on the line. Ripanti and Buskirk have the body type, speed, strength to be playing outside, not inside. I would love to see Caslow at SS. He absolutely has a nose for the ball, great leadership skills and the perfect size for this position. He is about the same size as Githens and same speed as Ward. I think it could solidify the defensive backfield if he can learn the position quickly. He played safety in HS. Take your pick on the corners and FS. They are nearly clones of each other. Personally, I think this makes our defense far stronger, but then again, what do I know? :-)

    #24033
    ngineer
    ngineer
    Participant

    TMH–very worthy of consideration. Our ‘contain’ was very poor this year. A four front would tie up the OL more imo to free up the LBs. Assuming the other LBs improve/grow, moving Caslow to SS makes sense. He’s the ‘heart and soul’ of the D and a fierce hitter.

    #24034
    RichH
    RichH
    Participant

    We definitely have the personnel for a 4-3. DL of Stubbs,Caveness,Lynn and Johnson would be impressive. Need some depth tho. Shuffle the LBs might be problematic tho. Caslow would be a great SS. Ripanti and Harvey only ones with significant PT. Buskirk might slide inside.
    A plan. Hope Andy comes up with a fix.This may be a good start,if he keeps Botts.

    #24035

    Lehigh74
    Participant

    Clearly something has to change, either the scheme the coaches or both. The thing I can’t understand is that Botts was successful in his first tenure as defensive coordinator using a 4-3. Why would he change to a 3-4 or 3-3-5 both of which have been a disaster?

    #24036

    TMH
    Participant

    Lehigh74,
    I would think it has to do with personnel. In order to play the 4-3, you need good sized horses over tackle. Next year, Cavenas will be a junior and Lynn an experienced soph. Pendergast is 6-5, 245# at last count and if Foley is being groomed for the DL, he is currently running 265#. Weir will be a 240# linebacker with speed. We may finally be getting the size of defense to make this thing work.

    #24038
    RichH
    RichH
    Participant

    He was a LB coach here for the first yr in the 3-3. It may be he didn’think we had the personnel for a 4-3 . We do appear to have that now . The question is whether to change the scheme for a 3rd yr in a row,. On the other hand,3-4 has never worked since Coach K left.
    Recruiting the wrong players for system. Staff not adept at teaching or calling it. Pick one or both.
    It has worked very well for us with a NG and good ILBs.

    #24051

    NJLehighFan
    Participant

    Defense has solid talent. But what we were missing this year were the game changing defensive plays. Only 5 interceptions all season and 2 big fumble returns. More than 350 pass attempts this season and only 5 INT. Some of that is the the lack of pressure on the QB and this is why I also question if the 3-4 scheme is the answer.

    #24053
    ngineer
    ngineer
    Participant

    [quote=24051]Defense has solid talent. But what we were missing this year were the game changing defensive plays. Only 5 interceptions all season and 2 big fumble returns. More than 350 pass attempts this season and only 5 INT. Some of that is the the lack of pressure on the QB and this is why I also question if the 3-4 scheme is the answer.

    [/quote]

    Pressure on the QB is always the key. This was never more evident in comparing how we did against Georgetown and Holy Cross, with good pressure, and Colgate where we hardly ever blitzed and could not stop them. That was clearly a coaching decision and I don’t know why. I spoke to some of the D starters about that and they had no answer and indicated they were disappointed blitzes weren’t being called. That was a classic example of two teams that were even in talent and coaching made the difference.

    • This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by ngineer ngineer.
    #24055
    RichH
    RichH
    Participant

    Dont know the answer. It has worked here with the right staff and players. Theoretically,the 3-3-4 is a very aggressive D with lighter fasterLBs and a strong NG and the most flexible D to face todays various spread variations.TOs and pressure were better than last year but the end result was basically the same. Injuries,inexperience are clearly part of the cause. There were periods of very good play but none lasted longer than a half.
    Dont know if changing D scheme for the 3rd time in 3 years is the solution. Better teaching,better ,stronger players and experience easy to type and certainly the answer. :) Accomplishing that is Andy’s main issue over the next month.

    #24056

    buck
    Participant

    Coaches need to teach sticking your nose in the running backs chest. Enough of this passive nonsense, take the skirts off and let men be men. Defensive backs on this team look like they’re playing touch football.

    #24057
    RichH
    RichH
    Participant

    Gate? I can see why Botts reluctant to blitz a lot. Pujols and Nolan are passers who run when forced. Melville much like Shaf he runs . Blitzing opens lanes for him. That said,think insidr blitzes by a LB and a S could have disrupted Gate O.
    Tackling has become a lost art throughout football. I can probably count the number of form tackles I’ve seen this year on one hand. It is not taught and rarely practiced. Coaches no longer run bulldogs or nutcracker drills in practice. This past year, I saw a recently developed mobile tackling dummy that many teams are using to safely simulate live tackling. May be a worthy investment for us.

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