Does anyone care about Lehigh football anymore?

FROM KEITH GROLLER

We'll find out on Saturday as the Mountain Hawks play their biggest game of the 2010 season so far, and their biggest non-Lafayette game in several years.

Crowds have been down at Goodman Stadium.

Even in great weather this season, 5,000-6,000 has been the norm.

Even national champion Villanova didn't pack the place.

There are a bunch of theories as to why the crowds have been down.

There are fewer local kids on the Lehigh roster than there were in years past. You've got Northampton's Billy Boyko, Wilson's Matt Lippincott and some kids from Jim Thorpe.

There is also the impact of live local television. I always say live TV gives people an excuse to stay home, and while Lehigh tickets aren't super expensive, every little bit chips away at the family budget in these tough economic times. If you don't have family playing, maybe you have something less expensive to do.

But the biggest reason for the reduced crowds, in my opinion, has been the team's record in recent years -- 5-6, 5-6 and 4-7. It has been a tough go for coach Andy Coen (below).


This team, however, is 5-2, and playing the kind of offensive football that fans desire. It has a chance to win a league championship and earn the program's first playoff berth since 2004.

If all that is going to happen, a win over Colgate is essential.

After Colgate, Lehigh plays at Holy Cross, Georgetown and Lafayette to close out the regular season and all of those games will be difficult as well.

A win over the hated Raiders, the preseason favorite to win the league, however, would be a huge momentum boost going into November and that three-game road swing.

It should be a terrific game. Hazleton's Nate Eachus is the nation's leading rusher. He was one of the best high school players I've ever seen and three years later, he's better than ever. He gains four yards just falling to the ground.

I was told that Eachus is fired up for the game. He really wants to tear apart the Mountain Hawks. He's capable of doing it.

We'll see.

I do know that this could be a special Lehigh football season. Saturday could be a special day at Goodman Stadium.

It would be nice to see a huge crowd of at least 10,000 on hand.

It's not as if the Phillies are a diversion. And frankly, neither is Penn State since they are playing at 8 Saturday night and this is a mediocre Nittany Lions team anyway.

Does anyone care about Lehigh football anymore?

We'll find out about 12:30 Saturday afternoon.

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