Central Catholic graduate Noah Robb ready to become a leader on defense at Lehigh

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FROM KEITH GROLLER

While Whitehall product Nick Shafnisky gets used to a new offensive coordinator this spring at Lehigh, Central Catholic graduate Noah Robb is also getting used to a new coordinator on defense.

Of course, the new coordinator is a familiar face to Lehigh Valley football people. It's former CCHS and Emmaus head coach Joe Bottiglieri.

The good news for Robb (38 on left) is that he doesn't have to get used to another new position at Lehigh after some shuffling around through his first two years on South Mountain. It seems like he will remain a fixture at inside linebacker where he played all 11 games last season and made 55 tackles, 32 unassisted. He also had five tackles for losses and forced a fumble.

"We've had changes with the coaching staff, but I don't think it's affecting us too much," Robb said after Friday night's practice. "The defense is a little different from last year, but the concepts are the same. We're still getting coached up. We're picking things up fast and running around and making plays."

Robb believes the defense will be better in 2014 than it was last year.

"We've got a lot of guys coming back and we're a very passionate group," he said. "That makes us play harder for each other. We have to replace our whole secondary, but we have inside guys back and we're looking pretty good so far."

Robb said that the disappointment of the 50-28 loss to Lafayette last Nov. 23, which prevented Lehigh from winning the Patriot League title and advancing to the FCS playoffs, lingers and still stings.

"Two years in a row losing in the league title game has left a bitter taste in our mouths," Robb said. "We said that immediately as we walked off that field that we were going to do everything possible to avoid having that feeling again. We've been working hard this whole offeseason. When that opportunity comes again, we're just going to have to execute."

Robb said he hopes to be assert himself as one of the leaders of the defense during the spring.

"I'm trying to help the younger kids learn the defense as I am learning it myself," he said. "I hope I can step up and fill some of the shoes that we lost from last year like Nigel Muhammad.

"It looks like I will be at the same position, although this year I will be more outside the box than before. I never really played inside the box before last year. I just went with it. I am trying to learn everything I can and it's working out pretty well so far."

As for Bottigilieri, Robb said: "He's a great guy. He's always cracking jokes. But at the same time, he's pushing us very hard. He knows what he's doing. I do whatever he tells me and it seems like it works out well."

Besides Bottliglieri, there are two new other new defensive coaches.

"It happens and you hate to see the people that you worked with go," Robb said. "But at the same time, you try to make things work out the best they can."