Lehigh off to an impressive start, up 21-7 at Drake in 3rd quarter

FROM KEITH GROLLER

9:15 p.m. on Saturday:

First of all, props to Mike Yadush for mentioning me and my Billy Boyko drag racing story during the Channel 69 broadcast.

Yadush is destined for the Keggers Hall of Fame, if I ever start one. Can't believe he coached for Whitehall last night and he's in Iowa tonight.

Anyway, very impressed with what Lehigh did tonight in the first half of its season opener at Drake.

The Mountain Hawks scored on their first two possessions and rolled to a 21-0 lead.

This is just what this beleaguered program needed, especially considering the daunting early-season schedule that includes a visit by national champ Villanova next week and a trip to New Hamsphire at the end of the month.

Some people were fearing a 1-3 or 0-4 start to the season if Lehigh couldn't get it done against Drake tonight, but this is as impressive as the Mountain Hawks have been in a season opener in a long time.

Jay Campbell has a pair of short TD runs and Craig Zurn of Jim Thorpe has hauled in a 23-yard TD pass.

Many thought Lehigh had made a mistake in not making J.B. Clark, the two-time reigning Lafayette game MVP, the starter at quarterback this summer. But Chris Lum showed why he won the job with a solid first half.

The defense looks solid as well and is getting a lot of pressure against a strong Drake offensive line.

Other than a blocked field goal try, this looks nothing like the Lehigh teams of recent years.

But they better not stop playing. Drake is on the move with about six minutes left in the third quarter and Lehigh's offense has struggled a bit since the fast start.

And now, they have just scored. It's 21-7 with 4:45 left in the third.

http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/