The Wagner College Seahawks looked shell-shocked on a rainy Saturday afternoon in week two of the season, but it wasn’t from the weather.
At Lehigh football’s home opener at Goodman Stadium, the Mountain Hawks were flying around the field.
Graduate student and quarterback Dante Perri fired a pass for a touchdown where running backs Jaden Green and Luke Yoder rumbled into the end zone for six points.
Then, with an up-tempo drive, the Mountain Hawks powered six straight runs, scoring with a 45-yard scamper by first-year quarterback Hayden Johnson.
Different playmakers, same result — an offensive barrage.
First year quarterback Hayden Johnson searches for the pass during the Sept. 21 game against Princeton at Goodman Stadium. The Mountain Hawks beat the Tigers 35-20. (Lauren Slovensky/B&W Staff)
By the second quarter, the scoreboard read 35-0 in favor of the home team. By the final buzzer Lehigh had 49 points, the most points in a single game since 2016.
Now five games into the season, Lehigh’s offense has scored 146 total points, a mark it hasn’t reached since 2017, when it had 157 points.
Coach Kevin Cahill’s offense has opened the year on a historic tear, all stemming from a change at the helm of their offense: three dynamic quarterbacks.
Each quarterback has taken snaps under center against Army, Wagner, Long Island, Princeton and Bucknell. Perri and Johnson have guided the passing game, while first-year quarterback Matt Machalik has showcased his rushing ability through designed runs.
Cahill said the three quarterbacks understand their roles within the scheme of the game and have executed their various skill sets well.
“Each guy brings something different to the table,” Cahill said. “All three of them help us offensively spread the ball out a little more.”
Johnson and Perri have completed passes to nine different players so far this season, ranging from program veterans to newcomers. The two have a combined completion percentage of 63% and have limited turnovers through the air, only throwing four interceptions this season.
Perri said there’s no set script regarding when each quarterback comes in. Instead, the team rides with whoever the hot hand is.
He said this system brings the quarterbacks together and allows the unit to communicate what coverage they see defensively and how to attack them.
“We’re each ready to go and supportive of the next guy going up,” Perri said. “(Johnson) would be the first guy to tell you it’s a one-two punch when me and him come back-to-back.”
When Johnson or Perri aren’t passing the ball, they ride the ground game.
The Mountain Hawks’ rushing attack is spearheaded by Green and Yoder, with Johnson and Machalik scrambling from designed run plays.
An athlete who rushed for 5,000 yards and threw for 6,000 in high school, Machalik has returned kicks and taken snaps under center for designed runs outside the tackles.
He said his fit at Lehigh is seamless due to the similarities to his high school playbook and the ability to make plays in different facets of the game.
“It’s nice to be back in a similar offense,” Machalik said. “I feel comfortable when I go in now to be able to do what I do and try to make plays, whether it’s on the ground, throwing or on kick-returns.”
As Yoder and Green split carries and Machalik’s tempo-changing runs continue, the three quarterbacks keep opposing defenses on their toes.
The Mountain Hawk rushing attack has generated 853 yards this season, the most in the Patriot League.
This style of play has allowed Lehigh to retain possession and sustain long drives in games.
Cahill said despite the overall success, the team is still finding ways to improve and establish an offensive identity.
“We’ve got so much room for growth — we can be more explosive, we can do some better things that get some of our playmakers involved,” Cahill said. “That’ll come as we evolve throughout the season and decipher what kind of offense we really are.”
Cahill said he’s looked to create more deep-yardage concepts through play-action or shot plays.
Even with reduced passing output, Cahill said his receivers’ selflessness in playing their roles as blockers in the short-yard game has enabled the offense to continue rolling.
Perri said this team attitude, one where players focus on winning instead of individual contributions has also enabled the success.
“I don’t care if I throw the ball once in an entire game,” Perri said. “If we’re winning the game, that’s all that matters.”
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