On early signing day, a look back at the 2018 Leopards

These cannot be the happiest of times in Lafayette College’s Bourger Varsity Football House, despite the rose-colored-glasses approach head football coach John Garrett took in a recent letter sent to supporters of the football program.

Jack Bourger, one of the football program’s biggest boosters in many ways for a long time, told me he didn’t receive the letter.

What’s wrong with that picture? Plenty.

Offensive line coach Gordon Sammis, who would get my vote for Lafayette 2018 Coach of the Year for football for the job he has done with the big guys up front, has resigned and taken the same position on the staff at William and Mary.

The rumor mill includes others who may leave, but there is no confirmation from the college. Sports information director Phil LaBella told me he often learns about coaches leaving only when the next college -- in Sammis’ case, W&M – call requesting biographical information.

I’ve also heard some grapevine chatter about movement from within the ranks of the players. I have no first-hand knowledge right now, but the first semester is ended, so if players are moving, word should be getting out. Perhaps some are waiting to see if they can attract any scholarship offers. A transferring player might become public knowledge as NCAA Divisi0n I’s early signing period begins today.

This is also the day Coach Garrett will tell us who he and his staff have in the Leopards’ den for 2019. Garrett told Mike Joseph during a recent interview on the Lafayette Sports Network that he had “six verbal commits” and that he is intentionally holding some of his scholarships back for what he called “BCS quality players that don’t have a home.” He said he doesn’t want only players who think the best they can do is FCS football, but those who are “on the cusp” with FBS recruits.

I mention all these things to say that I haven’t given my final thoughts on the 2018 Leopards. The season ended on such a low note on Nov. 17 that I just wanted to get away from things for a while, but with the 2019 early signing day upon us, I figured I’d better take care of the loose ends. The second anniversary of the announcement of Garrett’s hiring is less than a week away, too. So, here we go.

THE HEAD COACH’S REPORTS

Coach Garrett’s season-in-review letter to alumni supporters looked to me like a final-exam writing assignment given to him by athletic director Sherryta Freeman. Masters of rhetoric, those two.

I can just see them meeting and Sherryta telling John to tell ‘em how great it is to be a part of Lafayette football … how you couldn’t do it without their money … about how you’re looking forward to the offseason … not satisfied, but motivated … about those great 2018 achievements … introduce the slogan for 2019 … invite ‘em to a party or two … in fact, invite ‘em to drop in to your office anytime and have a chat; no need to call … wish ‘em a Merry Christmas.

Oh, and keep it to around 615 words. Words like, “The best is yet to come!” … “We improved this season in many ways.” … “Thank you for you (sic) love and devotion …” … “We will ‘Break Through’ in 2019!” … “Even if we beat Lehigh, we are in the same place we are now …” In other words, say a lot without really telling us much of anything we don’t already know.

Also, while speaking to Mike Joseph at the half of a recent women’s basketball game, Garrett had another chance to talk about 2018 and 2019. He mentioned “three great wins” … “two Patriot League road wins” … “building something special here” … reminded us that Sean O’Malley was once a walk-on freshman who became the starting quarterback … teased us about QB competition next spring involving O’Malley, Cole Northrup, Troy Fisher “and anyone who proves worthy.”

The letter and the interview hit all the high notes and pretty much avoided the low ones. Even what may well have been the lowest -- that 34-3 fiasco against Lehigh. Coach did mention it – wrote in his letter that “No one was more shocked, angry and sad that we lost to Lehigh than me.” 

But shock and anger weren’t the emotions he showed or mentioned during the postgame press conference. I don’t think I’ll ever forget him saying, “It’s one football game. It doesn’t define us. It won’t define the program. It’s one football game …”  The rest of what he said in that answer didn’t matter because the only thing I could think was that he didn’t yet understand the full significance of the rivalry yet. And this at the end of a year in which he used “Be Significant” as the team credo.

One thing he did say was, “We were not ready to play and I take full responsibility for that.” I thought he was going to elaborate; but instead, he said, “We had a good week of practice; the guys knew what was at stake, but this comes down to them (Lehigh) playing better than us in every aspect of the game.” That was hyperbolic understatement.

I jumped on that one. “How could they not be ready for Lehigh?” I asked. He said, “Well, I don’t think they weren’t ready. They just didn’t play well up to their capabilities.” I thought, now what am I supposed to say. If the Leopards were ready to play, Garrett is off the hook in the blame game. Personally, I think he nailed it in his initial statement.

“Are you embarrassed by the number of unsportsmanlike penalties and that kind of thing that your team was hit with today?”  I asked. “Well, I don’t think that’s the right word. We just keep emphasizing to be the right kind of guy and keep your poise. The game was chippy all game and we need to be able to keep your composure.”

I’m not a Leopard insider, but even I was embarrassed while watching the team lose its poise in the biggest game of the year. And, in talking to some alumni since the game, I haven’t heard one tell the penalties were a positive. After the first one, someone should have made sure the players knew that those penalties were unacceptable, chippy or not.   

Maybe the T-shirt slogan for 2019 should be LEHIGH: ONE FOOTBALL GAME? on the front and NO! on the back. If there is anyone left in Lafayette Nation – and I know there is because I do look at the Lafayette Sports Fan Forum – Garrett will not be permitted to forget that if the Leopards had just one game they could win in Garrett’s third season, it had better be the one against the enemy from South Bethlehem. For the record, that has happened only once. In 1945, the 0-7-1 Leopards defeated Lehigh 7-0.

In his Lafayette Sports Network chat with Joseph, Coach Garrett talked about “signature wins on the road” at Bucknell and Fordham as some of the positive aspects for the 2018 season. He also called them and the victory over Central Connecticut State “three great wins.”

There is no question that Lafayette needed those victories over Bucknell and Fordham – by a total of six points. The most impressive aspect of those games was the ground game … 280 yards rushing against the Rams, 138 against the Bison.

But signature wins? And “great strides”? Huh-uh. Fordham finished 2-9, Bucknell 1-10 for the season. They played a combined 11 home games; they were 0-11. Those two teams were fifth and seventh in the league in total offense (Fordham 119^th and the Bucknell a dead last 124^th in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision).  Georgetown was sixth in total offense (121^st in the FCS), but Lafayette not only didn’t defeat the Hoyas, it didn’t even score a touchdown. And Lehigh was dead last in the league in total defense, and we all know how well Lafayette exploited that weakness, don’t we?

CCSU had a 6-5 season, so it’s understandable that Garrett would put emphasis on the 31-24 victory that came on a C.J. Amill 23-yard touchdown run with 33 seconds left in the fourth quarter. It was also Garrett’s first win against a non-league opponent. But it wasn’t a momentum-changer because O’Malley never had a better game – and that one came in the season’s first month.

And, as far as “building something special here,” I don’t think that was obvious to most who followed the Leopards. Garrett’s motto for 2018 was “Be Significant.” But the Leopards lost games by 45, 37, 31, 29 and 26 points. So, as good as the defense was on several occasions, it still has a long way to go.

Coach Garrett never mentioned the Army West Point game in either his interview with Joseph or in his letter to supporters. That 31-13 loss, in which the defense was far better than it was two years earlier in a 62-7 drubbing, may have been one of their best efforts. The 10-2 Black Knights controlled the game, for sure, but they had to know they were in a fight from the Leopards’ defense.

Garrett’s letter gave interested alumni and fans a peek at the coach’s rhetoric for 2019: BREAK THROUGH. Right now, though, everyone is still waiting to see what the team is going to look like in the spring. 

WHERE DO WE START?

It seems pretty obvious that the starting point has to be the quarterback position. Garrett reminded Joseph, as though he had never heard it before,  how QBs often get too much credit for wins and too much blame for losses. Well, I’m not in the blame-all-on-O’Malley camp, because I think he’s doing exactly what the head coach has told him to do.

If Sean doesn’t have the tools needed to make the entire offense work, it’s up to the man calling the shots to do what he’s being paid to do. Allow offensive coordinator-QBs coach John Van Dam to work up to his job description. Change the starter for the spring practice period, thus allowing the new guy to get into some kind of groove. Also, make some changes to the offensive schemes.

In other words, try Northrup as the starter – if he sticks around. With two more QBs entering the battle in the 2019 recruiting class by signing on today, what kind of message is Northrup getting – or Fisher, or even Aichholz? Garrett has had two years of being the champion for O’Malley. Sean exchanged the five pick-sixes of his freshman season (he had only two in 2018) for an anemic four touchdown passes in his sophomore year (he had 12 in 2017). Garrett continues to support him, but the results beg the question: Why?

I would not be surprised at all if, after looking at Brycen Mussina’s successful transfer to Shippensburg -- 254-for-431, 21 interceptions, 3,376 yards, 32 touchdowns, 306.91 ypg, a 142.80 rating, freshman of the year in the PSAC Eastern Division – as many as three of the present five QBs decided to do the same and have fun both going to school playing football again. Brycen never got a shot from Coach Garrett. Nice going, Brycen.

Coach Garrett told Joseph that he is recruiting a “potential starter” at quarterback every year. It’s time to have a real “no incumbents” competition.

WHO’S BACK, WHO’S NOT?

Another four-touchdown season from the passing game in 2019 would very likely lead to many more unhappy endings. Nonleague games are against William & Mary (4-6 in 2018), Monmouth (8-3), Sacred Heart (7-4), Albany (3-8), Penn (6-4) and Princeton (10-0).  

For the first time since 2002, the Leopards are playing a 12-game schedule, seven on the road. Here it is, without starting times that are yet to be determined. It’s interesting that the last addition, Albany, is the opponent that had the worst 2018 record.

Aug. 31 – at William & Mary

Sept. 7 – at Monmouth

Sept. 14 – SACRED HEART

Sept. 21 – at Albany

Sept. 28 – PENN

Oct. 5 – Bye

Oct. 12 – at Princeton

Oct. 19 – at Georgetown

Oct. 26 – BUCKNELL

Nov. 2 – FORDHAM

Nov. 9 – at Holy Cross

Nov. 16 – COLGATE

Nov. 23 – at Lehigh

Lafayette graduates 21 players in 2019 and despite the fact that they won only nine games in four years, some of them are going to be missed.

On offense, C.J. Amill did so much in his 41 college games. He wound up his career with 742 yards rushing, 499 yards receiving, 1,858 yards returning 88 kickoffs, and 79 yards returning punts. And, he scored touchdowns in each of those four areas. That’s a career total of 3,178 yards, which got pretty much lost because of the losses.

Selwyn Simpson and Mike Dunn are the leading returnees at running back but had only four touchdowns between them in 2018. Nick Pearson was the leading pass receiver with 41 catches and 592 yards – but no touchdowns. Quinn Revere and Julian Spigner also caught more passes this year than Amill did; and J.J. Younger amassed 512 yards on kickoff returns and provided and produced the season’s best moment with a 95-yard touchdown. None of the returning players has ever returned a punt in his career.

Up front on offense, Kevin Zataveski, a three-year starter who was named the team’s offensive MVP, and Logan Grieser, who missed one whole season and parts of his other three years but who started 19 games and wound up being honored for his perseverance and courage, must be replaced. But having every-game starters Jake Marotti, John Burk and Gavin Barclay back is a great start.  number of freshmen got playing time and should be ready to step up, but it remains to be seen how the change in o-line coach – from Sammis to Christian Pace – will work out. The o-line was the area of greatest improvement and that must continue. The guys allowed only 15 sacks in all of the ’18 campaign. At tight end, Jake Taggart, who started the first four games before being injured, should return, but he’ll have to beat out rising sophomore Steve Stilianos, who made a nice debut, even though it only consisted of 14 catches.

Jerry Powe was named the team’s most valuable defensive player, and that may have been more a testament to his four years, 43 games, mark of 259 tackles than of his senior season of 67 stops. Michael Root, who was a fifth-year player, played in 45 games in his career and had 252 tackles. Defensive end Andrew Chuma, who excelled in the classroom as well as stepped up large during his senior year on the field, will be missed, as will safety Trent Crossan.

There is plenty of reason for feeling good about the defense if Coach Garrett can hang on to defensive coordinator Luke Thompson. Malik Hamm, the Patriot League’s defensive rookie of the year and freshman All-American, easily could have been selected as the top defensive player on the team with 8.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss among his 58 stops. With the likes of rising seniors Harrison Greenhill, Demetrius Breedlove and Keith Earle returning on the line as well as linebacker Major Jordan and defensive backs Yasir Thomas, Eric Mitchell and Tre Jordan, the outlook is bright.

But the new linebackers and experienced d-backs need to step up because in 2018, opposing teams converted 47 percent of their third-down plays and 73 percent of fourth-down attempts. Those aren’t winning numbers.

MY BEST LEOPARDS IN 2018

DEFENSIVE PLAYER – Malik Hamm. I can’t believe he could be voted the league’s best rookie and not get a spot on the all-league team. He has a great upside.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER – C.J. Amill. He really worked hard for everything he got. He took a beating but kept getting up.

MOST IMPROVED DEFENSIVE PLAYER – Major Jordan. He had only three tackles in his freshman season but was third best on the team with 66 this year.

MOST IMPROVED OFFENSIVE PLAYER – Quinn Revere. He had no catches while playing in eight games as a freshman, but he had 38 this season for 336 yards.  

MOST IMPROVED POSITION GROUP – Offensive line. Two of the four longest gains of the season were on running plays – 1 58-yarder by Amill and a 51-yarder by Simpson. But the biggest improvement was in pass defense, with only 15 sacks. Also, fewer pre-snap penalties.  

THE REST OF THE STORY

In the “great strides” or “building something special” department Coach Garrett has been referring, to, consider these comparisons:

Which is better: 12 TDs, 15 interceptions, 179 ypg, 104.74 rating (the 2017 stats for Sean O’Malley) … or 4 TDs, 12 interceptions, 158 ypg, 93.97 rating (his 2018 stats)?

Which is better: A 10-7 victory over Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. (2017) or a 31-24 victory over Central Connecticut State (2018)?

Which is better: two games in which you did not score a TD (2017) or five games in which you did not score a TD (2018)?

Which is better: a 3-3 league record (2017) or a 2-4 league record (2018)?

Which is better: 15 pass interceptions by the defense (2017) or five pass interceptions (2018)?

Which is better: two fumbles lost (2017) … eight fumbles lost (2018)?

Which is better: 19 sacks and 52 TFL (2017) or 21 sacks and 58 TFL (2018)?

Which is better: 430 yards, 4 TDs rushing (2017) or 960 yards, 11 TDs rushing (2018)?

Which is better: 17 giveaways (2017) … or 21 giveaways (in 2018)

Which is better: 23 takeaways (in 2017) … or 9 takeaways (in 2018).