No.19 Lehigh Mountain Hawks (0-1, 0-0 Patriot League) at Monmouth Hawks (1-0, 0-0 Big South)
Saturday, September 9, 2017; 1:05 p.m.
Kessler Stadium, West Long Branch, N.J.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
ESPN3 -
LINK
Matt Harmon (Play by Play);
Eddy Occhipinti (Color Analyst)
HD STREAMING INFORMATION
Watch ESPN App
DIRECTIONS TO KESSLER STADIUM
Directions to Monmouth University and Kessler Stadium can be found
here:
TICKET INFO:
For tickets call 732-263-5735 or visit
MonmouthHawks.com for online sales
Day of game tickets can be purchased at the Austin Family Box Office
A LOOK AT TODAY'S GAME
- Monmouth looks for its second consecutive win and its first win over Lehigh at home today.
- Today is Military & First Responders Appreciation Day at Kessler Stadium, so all first responders as well as current and retired servicemen and women receive a free ticket with a valid ID.
- Monmouth has won two straight against the Mountain Hawks, who won the first five games in the series.
- The last time Lehigh visited West Long Branch, Monmouth held a 25-21 lead in the fourth quarter but the Mountain Hawks scored a late touchdown to edge MU.
- After last weekend's win against Lafayette, MU opens the season with back to back home games for fifth time in program history and the first time since 2014.
- Lehigh comes into today's game ranked 19th in both the FCS Coaches Poll and the STATS FCS Poll. The last time the Mountain Hawks played at Monmouth, they were also ranked 19th.
- Today's game will air on ESPN3 with Matt Harmon serving as play by play and Eddy Occhipinti as the color analyst.
HURRICANE HARVEY CLOTHING DRIVE
- At today's football game against Lehigh and tonight's men's soccer game against UMBC members of the Monmouth athletics community will be collecting clothing to be sent to those affected by Hurricane Harvey.
THE COACHING MATCHUP
Kevin Callahan is in his 25th season at Monmouth as the Hawks' head coach. Callahan owns a 136-115 career coaching record, all with Monmouth. Coming into the season, Callahan's 135 victories ranked him 13th among active coaches in the Football Championship Subdivision. The only coach in Monmouth history, he has led the Blue & White to five conference championships, in 1996, 1998, 2003, 2004 and 2006. Callahan has earned conference coach of the year accolades in 1998, 2003 and 2006. Prior to arriving in West Long Branch, Callahan served as defensive coordinator at Colgate for eight seasons and at Wagner for three years. He began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Albany (1977-79) and Syracuse (1980) before becoming a Seahawk assistant in 1981.
Andy Coen, entering his 12th year as Lehigh's head football coach, has produced 107 All-Patriot League honorees and 22 All-America selections. Coen has guided Lehigh to four Patriot League titles including back-to-back titles in 2010 and 2011 and last season. He has twice been named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, finishing seventh in the 2010 voting and sixth in 2011. Under Coen's guidance, Lehigh posted its third consecutive ten win season in 2012. The Mountain Hawks won their first nine games and at one point had won 18 consecutive regular season games. Lehigh finished in the top 20 in both national polls for three straight seasons from 2010-2012.
INSIDE THE LEHIGH SERIES
Overall Record: LU leads 5-2
West Long Branch: LU 2-0
Bethlehem: LU leads 3-2
First Meeting: Sept. 18, 1999
Last Meeting: Sept. 3, 2016
Longest MU Win Streak: 2 gms
Longest LU Win Streak: 5 gms
Largest MU W Margin: 7 (2014)
Largest LU W Margin: 46 (1999)
Smallest MU W Margin: 2 (2015)
Smallest LU W Margin: 3 (2013)
Shutouts: None
Overtime Games: None
MONMOUTH AGAINST THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
- Monmouth owns a 10-10 record against current Patriot League members.
- MU evened its record against Lafayette last weekend with a 31-12 at home. n Last season MU opened up with a 23-21 win over Lehigh at Goodman Stadium then defeated Fordham in overtime in the fifth game of the season.
- Monmouth has won two straight against Lehigh with the Hawks owning a winning a record against Georgetown and is 2-1 against Fordham.
- The Hawks will play four of the seven Patriot League teams this season.
- Colgate (3-1) and Lehigh (5-2) own winning records against Monmouth.
NOTES ON THE LAFAYETTE GAME
- Monmouth is now 13-12 in home openers after last weekend's win
- The Hawks have now won three straight openers and have won the last two times they have opened the season at home (2014, 2017)
- Despite the threat of rain, 3,898 fans came out to watch the first game in Kessler Stadium, which also was the first 3 PM start in school history
- The first touchdown in Kessler Stadium history came with 34 seconds to play in the second quarter and was a 16 yard Pete Guerriero run. It was also Guerriero's first touchdown as collegian
- Senior offensive lineman Matt Stoneberg and senior outside linebacker Agbai Iroha were named game captains against the Leopards
DID YOU KNOW?
Monmouth punt returner
Kamau Dumas' 20 yard punt return against Lafayette last week was longer than any return in 2016. Dumas finished with 40 punt return yards, more than half of the season total for last year's leading punt returner.
Social Media Links:
Follow the Hawks all season long on twitter (@MUHawksFB)
Facebook (facebook.com/MUFootball)
Monmouth's YouTube page (YouTube.com/monmouthhawks)
