On the eve of the start of spring practice, Lehigh's football program announced a bit of a surprise.
Former Emmaus head coach Joe Bottiglieri has been promoted to defensive coordinator.
Bottiglieri was the team's inside linebackers coach last year in his return to Lehigh after 12 seasons on the high school sidelines -- one year at Central Catholic and 11 at Emmaus.
Bottiglieri was the defensive cordinator for Lehigh's Patriot League title teams in 1998 and 1999 when head coach Andy Coen was also on the staff.
When Coen was hired in January of 2006 to replace Pete Lembo, he wanted Bottiglieri to be his defensive coordinator, but Bottiglieri was committed to Emmaus and high school coaching at the time.
“I believe Joe Bottiglieri will do a great job coordinating our defense,” Coen said in a Lehigh-issued release. “He has a great record of success as a defensive coordinator and brings a wealth of knowledge and proven leadership to our defense. Joe is one the best coaches I have been around in my career and I look forward to he and our defensive staff working together to build a top notch defense.”
Last year, Lehigh had co-defensive coordinators in former CCHS coach Donnie Roberts and Gerard Wilcher. Roberts will remain on the staff as defensive line coach.
But there have been other additions and changes, some of them starting with the departure of former offensive coordinator Dave Cecchini, who left to become the head coach at Valparaiso in December.
On the defensive side of the ball, Coen has named Craig Sutyak defensive backs coach and Jay Ridinger assistant defensive backs coach. On offense, Scott Brisson returns to the Lehigh coaching staff to assume to roles of wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator, while Andy Marino joins the staff and will work with the tight ends.
“I am very excited to welcome these four new coaches to our staff,” said Coen. “These men are all proven teachers of the game of football. They are passionate about the game and will do a great job connecting with our student-athletes. These men coach for all the right reasons, they will help our players grow as leaders, and help them develop on and off the field as people.”
The release said that boh additions on the defensive side come to Lehigh from Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster.
Sutyak spent the last eight seasons as the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at F&M, where his units were among the stingiest in the Centennial Conference. In eight seasons, his defensive players earned 27 All-Centennial Conference honors.
In 2013, Sutyak’s defense featured three All-ECAC South performers and ranked third in the Centennial Conference in pass defense.
Prior to his stint at F&M, Sutyak spent two seasons at Fordham where he worked with the secondary and kickoff team. A 2001 graduate of Dickinson College with a degree in Psychology, Sutyak earned his Masters of Education from Edinboro in 2003. He started his coaching career with a two-year stint at Allegheny College.
Ridinger spent the last two seasons on the Franklin & Marshall coaching staff. A former standout wide receiver for the Diplomats, Ridinger worked with F&M’s wide receivers in 2012 before shifting over to the secondary in 2013. He worked alongside Sutyak with a secondary group that included first team All-Centennial Conference performers at both cornerback and safety.
A four-year starter at wide receiver for the Diplomats, Ridinger was a team captain and All-Conference performer as a senior. Prior to beginning his college coaching career at F&M, Ridinger spent one season on the coaching staff at Manheim Township High School in Lancaster.
Brisson returns to Lehigh following a four year period in which he enjoyed successful coaching stints at St. Lawrence University and Lycoming College.
In his first stint at Lehigh, Brisson worked with Lehigh’s running backs and wide receivers in 2008 and 2009. Among his pupils were record-setting wide receivers Jake Drwal ’12 and Ryan Spadola ’13, who both rank in the top ten in school history for career receptions and receiving yards. Spadola finished his Lehigh career ranked second in school annals in both categories and is entering his second NFL season as a member of the Miami Dolphins.
In 2010, Brisson moved on to St. Lawrence where he served as offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and recruiting coordinator. He was instrumental in leading the program to its first conference championship in school history and its first playoff appearance since 1982. Brisson spent the last two seasons at Lycoming where he held the same duties and added the responsibility of the wide receivers as well. He helped lead Lycoming to the 2013 MAC Championship and was instrumental in the development of a record-setting quarterback and two standout wide receivers.
Prior to his first stint at Lehigh, Brisson spent two seasons as the wide receivers coach at Franklin & Marshall.
Marino comes to Lehigh from Widener University where he spent last season working with the offensive line. He also held titles of Assistant Head Coach, Recruiting Coordinator and Run Game Coordinator. He mentored one All-Conference lineman while his offensive line paved the way for the conference’s top scoring offense.
Prior to his stint at Widener, Marino spent three years on the coaching staff at Delaware where he spent two seasons as an offensive graduate assistant before working with the tight ends and tackles in 2012.
Marino has familiarity with the Lehigh Valley as he spent one season as the offensive line coach at Whitehall.
A 2009 graduate of Lycoming College with a degree in History, Marino was a three-year starter and a two-year team captain on the offensive line. He added a Master’s in Higher Education Administration from Delaware in 2012.
The rest of Lehigh’s offensive staff includes offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Drew Folmar, offensive line coach and run game coordinator Brett Sawyer, and Jamel Mutunga, who will work with the running backs.
Lehigh will begin its spring practice segment Friday. The annual Brown and White Spring Game is set for Saturday April 19 at 10 a.m. inside Goodman Stadium.
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