Lehigh football to face Navy Midshipmen for first time in 31 years

In a matchup that has not been seen in 31 years, Lehigh football will travel to Annapolis, Maryland, to face the Navy Midshipmen on Saturday.

The last time that the Mountain Hawks faced Navy was in September 1987. When the two teams faced each other, the then-Engineers defeated the Midshipmen 24-9 at the Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland.

The Mountain Hawks are returning to the stage they left three decades ago this weekend, marking the team’s first away game of the season. For Lehigh’s first-years, this will be the first game played outside of Goodman Stadium.

Freshman offensive lineman Justin Gurth said that there are some nerves going into Saturday’s game, but he is more excited to get out there and play in Annapolis and have a great experience and enjoy the moment.

“They’ll bring the brigade in there, they’ll have fly-bys, they’re going to have parachute jumpers and that type of stuff,” coach Andy Coen said. “I hope that our guys don’t get too awed with what goes around. Nonetheless, it’s going to be a cool experience for the kids.”

Senior defensive back Donavon Harris agreed with Coen, saying that the environment the Mountain Hawks will see in Annapolis is a source of excitement for the team.

“I think it’s going to be a good atmosphere,” Harris said. “Guys are going to be excited to fly-around. This is going to be our first time traveling. We’ve never played Navy, they’re a FBS team. Emotions are going to be high, but I think we’re going to be ready to rock-and-roll.”

Coen said that the challenge exists within Navy’s triple-option offense, since many of the teams Lehigh faces only have two running threats.

“As we move onto Navy it’s just a really a tough situation with the offense that Navy presents,” Coen said. “Their skill is really good, and their schemes are a lot different from what we usually see.”

Lehigh’s defensive coordinator Craig Sutyak said that the team has been preparing for the option during their pre-season camp, and they have continued to prepare for it during this week’s practice.

Coen said that the Lehigh’s defense is currently one of the team’s greatest strengths. “I thought the kids played very well on defense.” Coen said in reference to the Lehigh’s matchup against Villanova, “They were flying around. Much different from our defense a year ago.”

Harris said with the discipline of the team and each player on the team focusing on their specific role, the Mountain Hawks will be ready to take on the triple-option come Saturday.

Sutyak said that Lehigh’s other greatest strength of it’s players is the team’s chemistry.

“I think the guys do a tremendous job of day-in, day-out playing for the guy beside them,” Sutyak said. “And the staff has done a great job of instilling that in them. It’s the idea of everyone doing their part for the better of the whole.”

“Everyone’s kind of on the same page,” Gurth said. “For me as a freshman, getting out here in the summer and working out with the guys, everyone’s really taken me under their wing. It’s the mentality of we’re coming here to work, and work-hard and get things done.”

Harris said he’s looking forward to bonding with his teammates this weekend, and he thinks it will be a great bonding experience for the freshmen as well.

This will also be the first time that Lehigh will play against a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision team since 2003 when they lost to the University of Connecticut Huskies 17-35.

Coen said that the team is “fired up” to be facing a FBS team like Navy, and that all the players are looking forward to the challenge.

“We have our game plan, and we’re going to stick to our game plan,” Gurth said. “We’re really going to try to get the ball rolling here. We’re going to focus on executing as much as possible. Getting those first downs is the key for us.”

The two teams will kick off at 3:30 on Saturday in a nationally-televised game on CBS Sports Network.