How Lehigh Football Can Reclaim Its Championship Legacy and Win Again
I remember watching Lehigh football in its heyday, back when the Mountain Hawks dominated the Patriot League with that signature brand of disciplined, hard-nosed football that earned them multiple championships between 1998 and 2017. Those teams weren't just talented—they were connected in a way that you could feel even from the stands. Having covered collegiate athletics for over a decade, I've come to believe that rebuilding that championship chemistry is more crucial than any playbook adjustment. That's why Coach Cone's recent comments about team immersion struck such a chord with me. When he explained how a player participated fully in the Inspire camp and the New Zealand game specifically to build chemistry, I recognized the exact blueprint Lehigh needs to follow. Cone stated, "The fact that he did the whole Inspire camp and into the New Zealand game, we thought that was good enough for his immersion into the team, wanted to create chemistry with the team, and still be part of it, and let his teammates know that he's still a part of it." This intentional approach to relationship-building is precisely what separates good teams from great ones.
Let's be honest—Lehigh's recent 4-7 season wasn't just about X's and O's. The Mountain Hawks ranked near the bottom of the Patriot League in third-down conversions at just 34%, and their red zone defense allowed touchdowns on 65% of opponent visits. Those numbers reflect more than technical deficiencies; they reveal a team that hasn't fully gelled under pressure situations. I've always maintained that championship teams develop what I call "situational trust"—that unspoken understanding between players that emerges from shared experiences beyond routine practices. Cone's emphasis on immersion activities like the New Zealand game creates exactly that. When players bond in unfamiliar environments, they develop resilience that translates directly to fourth-quarter comebacks. I've seen this transformation repeatedly throughout my career—teams that invest in relationship-building consistently outperform their raw talent level. Lehigh's current roster has the physical tools—their recruiting class ranked second in the Patriot League last year—but physical talent alone won't reclaim championships.
What impresses me most about Cone's approach is the recognition that chemistry isn't accidental. Too many programs hope team bonding happens organically, but championship programs engineer it. The decision to have a key player complete both the Inspire camp and international game demonstrates strategic prioritization of unity. From my perspective, this creates what military strategists call "shared hardship"—experiences that forge unbreakable bonds. I'd argue Lehigh should expand this philosophy throughout the program, perhaps adding 2-3 more structured bonding experiences annually. The Mountain Hawks need to recreate that championship culture where players fight for each other, not just with each other. Looking at their 2023 season, three of their seven losses were by one score or less—precisely the situations where trust makes the difference.
The path back to championship contention begins with embracing this immersion mentality across the entire roster. Lehigh football has everything it needs—historic facilities, academic appeal, and passionate alumni support. What's been missing is that magical cohesion that turns good athletes into great teammates. If Cone can scale his immersion approach to include 80-90% of the roster rather than just key players, I'm confident we'll see a dramatic turnaround within two seasons. The championship legacy isn't lost—it's just waiting for this generation of Mountain Hawks to rediscover that special connection that made previous teams so formidable. Having witnessed similar transformations at other programs, I'd predict Lehigh could return to .500 this coming season and challenge for the Patriot League title within three years if they fully commit to this chemistry-first philosophy.
