Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Lehigh Players to Watch

Tim Diamond

The senior outside linebacker does everything for the Mountain Hawks. He leads Lehigh in tackles with 64 on the year and has 4.5 tackles for a loss. When he drops back to play pass coverage, he has one interception and three passes broken up. On top of all of that, Diamond has forced a fumble and recovered one.

The Ringwood, N.J., native has been as solid as a diamond throughout his career. He was an honorable mention on the all-American team last year after leading the Mountain Hawks with 107 tackles.

Diamond leads a defense that is fairly stout against the run, allowing just over 80 yards on the ground per game. Its weakness is through the air, where opponents have thrown for 287 yards per contest, torching Lehigh for a 61.8 completion percentage. The Mountain Hawks allow 22 points per game, but surrendered 25 last week in a loss to Holy Cross.

att McGowan

The senior running back is a model of perseverance. Earlier in his college career, McGowan was awarded the team MVP – for the scout team. The back’s other accolades came in the form of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll. Last year he missed nearly the entire year with a leg injury, and he had to win the starting job in camp this year.

Back after he emerged as Lehigh’s starter, McGowan has elevated himself to the upper tier of Patriot League running backs. He has 700 yards over seven games for an exact average of 100 yards per game. McGowan averages about five yards per carry and has three rushing touchdowns. He is also a factor in the Mountain Hawks’ passing game – he is third on the team with 21 catches and 232 receiving yards.

As far as Georgetown is concerned, however, McGowan has been a star for a while. In one of his few games last year, the Hazelton, Pa., native scampered by the Hoyas’ defense for 128 yards on 24 rushes and found the end zone twice.

In Lehigh’s last game against Holy Cross, McGowan kept the Mountain Hawks in the game with a 178-yard effort. Add to that total his 66 yards receiving and McGowan was well over 200 all-purpose yards on the day. He scored two straight touchdowns to bring Lehigh back from a 14-point deficit.

Georgetown’s defense will need to keep the bruising running back in check, or else it will be a long day.

– Kevin Wessel

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