HEROSPORTS
  • Home
  • FCS
    • FCS Home
    • Big South-OVC
    • Big Sky
    • CAA
    • Ivy
    • MEAC
    • MVFC
    • NEC
    • Patriot
    • Pioneer
    • SoCon
    • Southland
    • SWAC
    • UAC
  • FBS
    • FBS Home
    • AAC Football
    • CUSA Football
    • MAC Football
    • Mountain West Football
    • Sun Belt Football
  • College Basketball
  • Register at BetMGM
  • BetMGM Promotions
  • More
    • About HERO Sports
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • FCS
    • FCS Home
    • Big South-OVC
    • Big Sky
    • CAA
    • Ivy
    • MEAC
    • MVFC
    • NEC
    • Patriot
    • Pioneer
    • SoCon
    • Southland
    • SWAC
    • UAC
  • FBS
    • FBS Home
    • AAC Football
    • CUSA Football
    • MAC Football
    • Mountain West Football
    • Sun Belt Football
  • College Basketball
  • Register at BetMGM
  • BetMGM Promotions
  • More
    • About HERO Sports
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
HEROSPORTS
No Result
View All Result

FCS 2019 PREVIEW: Lehigh Football Set To Rebuild

HERO Sports by HERO Sports
July 5, 2019
FCS 2019 PREVIEW: Lehigh Football Set To Rebuild

HERO Sports welcomes you to "Three-a-Days", where we will preview every single one of the 126 FCS​ programs, with three teams being released each day from June 17 to July 28. Then, we'll preview all 13 conferences from August 1-4. Today, we present … Lehigh.

We'll leave no stone left unturned when it comes to giving the FCS diehards all they could ask for this offseason. Learn about every program in the country, with HERO Sports.    

[divider]MORE FCS FOOTBALL:

  • FCS Home​
  • FCS Preview Schedule – Team Links
  • The HERO Sports Preseason Top 25 Poll
  • Preseason All-American Teams

[divider]

Lehigh (3-8 IN 2018)

Patriot League (Lehigh finished T4th in 2018)

COACH: Tom Gilmore – At School: 1st year Overall: 1st year
LAST FCS POSTSEASON: 2017 (First Round)
2018 OFFENSE: 16.6 ppg (114th in FCS)
2018 DEFENSE: 35.1 ppg (99th in FCS)
KEY GAME: Oct. 5 @ Colgate: What better way to kick off conference play than to play the defending champs? Lehigh could make the Patriot League title race interesting right away with a win here.

SUM IT UP: A new era of Lehigh football is underway. Longtime head coach Andy Coen stepped down from his position in December under unfortunate circumstances following a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Tom Gilmore was hired about a month later. He spent time as Lehigh's defensive coordinator from 2000-2003 and was most recently on the Wake Forest defensive staff in 2018. Gilmore is familiar with the Patriot League. He was the head coach for 14 seasons at Holy Cross from 2004-2017 and was a two-time Patriot League Coach of the Year.

He inherits a team looking to get back to its winning ways. The Mountain Hawks made the playoffs in 2017 and were 9-3 in 2016. The experience is definitely there to take a step in a positive direction. Lehigh has eight starters returning on offense and eight coming back on defense.

The priority is replacing two big offensive players. Brad Mayes was an All-Patriot League quarterback and Dominick Bragalone was a workhorse back and an All-American. Tyler Monaco has the most experience coming back at quarterback and Rashawn Allen has massive potential to be a great feature back and has an offensive line that returns five starters. Lehigh has its top two pass catchers coming back in Jorge Portorreal and Devon Bibbens.

Allowing 35.1 points per game won't get it done, but improvements are expected. The Mountain Hawks get their top three tacklers back: Keith Woetzel, Sam McCloskey and Riley O'Neil. Overall, eight of the 11 top tacklers return.

OUR TAKE: This is a young team in 2019. About 30 freshmen are expected to be on the roster and there are a number of young guys that got experience last year. But this is a program that expects to win and be at the top of the conference standings. It may not happen in one year. Like we said, there is still some inexperience and the losses of Mayes and Bragalone are significant. But the future is bright with young talent. The Mountain Hawks signed four players in 2019 that made our Top 300 recruits ranking. This looks to be a building year where Lehigh takes steps forward to get back on track.

[divider]SUBSCRIBE: HERO Sports FCS Podcast
COUNTDOWN: The Best Player in FCS Who Wears Each Number, 1-99

[divider]

TOP RETURNEE: Jr../WR Jorge Portorreal (All-Conference First Team, No. 1 receiver last year with 55 rec. for 794 yards and 3 TDs)

THE FOUNDATION: Sr./DB Sam McCloskey (All-Conference Second Team, No. 2 tackler last year with 77); So./RB Rashawn Allen (Top returning rusher with 328 yards and 3 TDs); Sr./WR Devon Bibbens (33 rec. for 576 yards and 3 TDs); Sr./LB Keith Woetzel (Top tackler last year with 89); Sr./DB Riley O'Neil (62 tackles)

TOP NEWCOMER: Fr./DB Brandon Spencer (No. 81 ranked FCS recruit in 2019, had 5 FBS offers)

THE QUOTE: "Lehigh is a place I've always held in high regard. I worked here as an assistant for four years and thoroughly enjoyed everything about that experience; the campus, the athletic department, the community. We had really good teams. Everything about those four years I spent here, was awesome. It's close to home for me, so it really feels like I'm coming home in a lot of ways. I'm really excited to get going and looking forward to meeting the team and the staff and personnel within the department." — Head Coach Tom Gilmore said

[divider]

WERE WE RIGHT?: Last Year's Lehigh Preview

FCS 2020 NFL PROSPECTS: The List

BEST FCS TRADITIONS: The List

[divider]

PREVIEWS: The Rest Of The Patriot League

Bucknell | Colgate | Fordham

Georgetown | Holy Cross | Lafayette | Lehigh

[divider]

SUBSCRIBE: HERO Sports FCS Podcast

Previous Post

FCS 2019 PREVIEW: Lafayette Football Needs Offensive Improvement

Next Post

21 Fascinating Numbers From the 189 FCS-Over-FBS Wins of All Time

Next Post
21 Fascinating Numbers From the 189 FCS-Over-FBS Wins of All Time

21 Fascinating Numbers From the 189 FCS-Over-FBS Wins of All Time

No Result
View All Result

Recent Posts

  • Plot Twist for Sac State Football Independence + Updates On ASUN, WAC, Big Sky Movement
  • 2025 FCS Top 25: No. 7 Illinois State Football Preview
  • 2025 FCS Jersey Countdown: The Best Returning Player For Each Number

HERO Sports is the go-to website for FBS and FCS football news, analysis, and predictions.

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (Available in the US)
877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY)
1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR)

For new customer offers, Bonus Bets expire in seven days. One New Customer Offer only. Add'l terms. For existing customers, Bonus Bets expire in seven days. Add'l terms.

21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. See BetMGM.com for Terms. First Bet Offer for new customers only (if applicable). Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. This promotional offer is not available in DC, Mississippi, New York, Nevada, Ontario, or Puerto Rico.

Welcome Offer Bet $10, $150 in Bonus Bets

GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER (AVAILABLE IN THE US). 21+ ONLY. CO, MI, NJ, PA, WV ONLY. PLEASE GAMBLE RESPONSIBLY. SEE BETMGM.COM FOR TERMS. THIS PROMOTIONAL OFFER IS FOR NEW PLAYERS ONLY. SUBJECT TO ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. BONUS BETS ARE NON-WITHDRAWABLE. US PROMOTIONAL OFFERS NOT AVAILABLE IN MISSISSIPPI, NEVADA, NEW YORK, ONTARIO AND PUERTO RICO.

  • About HERO Sports
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 HERO SPORTS.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • FCS
    • FCS Home
    • Big South-OVC
    • Big Sky
    • CAA
    • Ivy
    • MEAC
    • MVFC
    • NEC
    • Patriot
    • Pioneer
    • SoCon
    • Southland
    • SWAC
    • UAC
  • FBS
    • FBS Home
    • AAC Football
    • CUSA Football
    • MAC Football
    • Mountain West Football
    • Sun Belt Football
  • College Basketball
  • Register at BetMGM
  • BetMGM Promotions
  • More
    • About HERO Sports
    • Contact

© 2022 HERO SPORTS.