Villanova football coach respects Lehigh, Lafayette

If you think Talley will overlook the Mountain Hawks, forget it.

He has great respect for the Patriot League and believes that if the league ever decides to offer scholarships in football — a decision is finally coming in December — it will have an impact on the FCS football landscape.

“If the Patriot League goes to scholarships, they will be elite teams in I-AA [FCS],” Talley told me at a Maxwell Club luncheon in Atlantic City back in March where his star receiver Matt Szczur received the Tri-State Player of the Year award.

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“Lafayette has great facilities, so does Lehigh, and Colgate has improved its situation. They can sell education and there’s no doubt they would be top-10 teams in the country with scholarships.”

Talley also had nothing but good things to say about Lehigh coach Andy Coen and Lafayette boss Frank Tavani.

“They are good guys,” Talley said. “Their teams are hard-nosed and well-coached. Whenever we play those teams, they have our attention. In fact, Lehigh has already beaten us [in 2006].

“The biggest difference between us and some of those teams may be speed. We have more speed than they do, but they’re tough and physical, and on any given day, they can beat you.”

Lehigh fans hope that day is Saturday.

By Keith Groller, The Morning Call
http://articles.mcall.com/2010-09-09/sports/mc-aroundvalley-0909-20100909_1_andy-coen-offer-scholarships-football-coach