CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – The Lehigh University football team returns 11 All-League selections from last year’s Patriot League Championship Team and will enter the 2017 season as the favorite to repeat, according to the 2017 Preseason Patriot League Coaches’ Poll, released on Thursday morning.
The Mountain Hawks (9-3, 6-0 in 2016) finished with a League-high 70 points and 11 first-place votes, a season after winning its eighth League title and first since 2011. Fordham (8-3, 5-1) picked up the remaining three first-place votes and 61 points after a second-place finish last season. Colgate (5-5, 4-2) was picked to finish third with 54 points, while Holy Cross (4-7, 2-4) finished with 39 and Bucknell (4-7, 3-3) finished with 36. Georgetown (3-8, 0-6) and Lafayette (2-9, 1-5) tied for sixth-place with 17 points.
Voting for the preseason poll is conducted by the Patriot League’s seven head coaches and football sports information directors, who are not eligible to vote for their own teams.
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Lehigh’s offense averaged 40.5 points per game during the regular season behind the sixth-ranked passing offense (324.9 yards/game) in the nation, helping the Mountain Hawks to a perfect 6-0 record in League play and their eighth Patriot League Championship. Head Coach Andy Coen welcomes back many significant pieces of the team’s prolific offense, including senior First Team All-Patriot League wide receivers Troy Pelletier (88 rec., 1,140 yards, 11 TDs) and Gatlin Casey (58 rec., 1,098 yards, 14 TDs). They also welcome back junior running back Dom Bragalone (1,106 yards, 13 TDs), a first team selection, who finished second in the League in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. While they lose quarterback and 2016 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year Nick Shafnisky to graduation, Coen and the Mountain Hawks return junior quarterback Brad Mayes, who completed 80-off-111 passes for 1,113 yards and 12 touchdowns in six games last season. On defense, Lehigh loses all three starting linebackers but return senior defensive lineman Tyler Cavenas up front and defensive backs junior Sam McCloskey and sophomore Riley O’Neil.
Fordham’s offense was every bit as potent as the Mountain Hawks in 2016 and promises to be strong again behind Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Chase Edmonds. The senior consensus All-American rushed for 1,799 yards and 19 touchdowns last season and is in a position to become the leading rusher in FCS history during the 2017 season. Second-year head coach Andrew Breiner also returns All-League quarterback Kevin Anderson (201-for-325 for 2,724 yards, 27 TDs) and junior wide receiver Austin Longi (774 yards, 6 TDs) in addition to three starters on the offensive line. Senior defensive back Caleb Ham and graduate student defensive lineman Manny Adeyeye highlight a strong returning Rams’ defense.
Colgate led the nation in rush defense last season, allowing just 69.4 rushing yards per game and return 2016 Defensive Player of the Year Pat Afriyie, one of the most disruptive forces in the Patriot League. Afriyie was among the nation’s leaders in tackles for loss (21.0) and sacks (10.0). The Raiders defense also returns second team All-League Tyler Castillo and 2016 Patriot League of the Year Abu Daramy to its defensive backfield. Head Coach Dan Hunt will need to replace quarterback Jake Melville and wide receiver John Maddaluna III, but they will be helped by the return of junior running back James Holland, who missed 2016 due to injury and senior running back Keyon Washington (765 yards, 7 TDs), who earned second team All-League a year ago.
Holy Cross Head Coach Tom Gilmore gets one more season from senior quarterback Peter Pujals, after he missed the last seven games of the 2016 season. Though the offense will miss All-League wide receivers Brendan Flaherty and Jake Wieczorek. Junior receiver Richie DeNicola returns after catching 49 passes for 513 yards and four touchdowns last season. They will also return senior running back Diquan Walker, who rushed for 411 yards on 78 carries a year ago. On defense, the Crusaders return the League’s leading tackler in senior linebacker Nick McBeath (106 TT). Senior defensive back Alim Muhammad also returns for Holy Cross.
Bucknell Head Coach Joe Susan returns a host of playmakers on the defensive side of the ball with senior defensive lineman Abdullah Anderson (9.5 TFL), senior linebacker Ben Richard (95 TT) and senior defensive back Bryan Marine (15 passes defended). The running back duo of senior Joey DeFloria (1,070 rushing yards, 10 TDs) and sophomore Chad Freshnock highlight an offensive unit that loses consensus All-America left tackle Julie’n Davenport to the NFL’s Houston Texans.
Georgetown posted the League’s top scoring defense last season, allowing opponents just 23.3 points per game and return All-League junior linebacker J’V’on Butler in addition to a loaded defensive backfield with senior cornerback Jelani Williamson and senior safety David Akere. Sophomore defensive lineman Khristian Tate proved to be a force on special teams, finishing among the nation’s leaders with three blocked kicks. On offense Head Coach Rob Sgarlata returns senior quarterback Tim Barnes, who was lost early last season due to injury. He’ll have a pair of reliable targets in senior wide receiver Justin Harrell and junior wide receiver Brandon Williams.
Lafayette begins a new era under first-year head coach John Garrett. On offense the Leopards return first team All-League senior tight end Dylan Wadsworth in addition to senior wide receiver Matt Mrazek, who finished among the Patriot League leaders with eight receiver touchdowns. Garrett and the Lafayette staff will have to find a new signal-caller, as both Drew Reed and Blake Searfoss, who took each snap a year ago, are lost due to graduation. On defense Lafayette welcomes back senior linebacker Brandon Bryant, who led the Patriot League in tackles in 2016. Junior Jerry Powe, a second team All-League selection in 2016, also returns for the Leopards defense.
The Patriot League schedule opens on Saturday, August 26 when Colgate travels west to take on Cal Poly in a nationally televised game on ESPNU. Holy Cross takes on Connecticut on Thursday, August 31 and Fordham travels to Army West Point for a game on Friday, September 1 that will be televised nationally on the CBS Sports Network. The remaining five League teams will open the following Saturday on September 2.
2017 Patriot League Football Preseason Poll
1. Lehigh 70 points (11 first-place votes)
2. Fordham, 61 (3)
3. Colgate, 54
4. Holy Cross, 39
5. Bucknell, 36
T6. Lafayette, 17
T6. Georgetown, 17
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The Patriot League is in its third decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.