Lehigh returns 17 starters, including 10 on defense, led by All-Patriot League honorees
TyGee Leach,
LaTreil Wimberly and
Mikhari Sibblis. Junior
Dante Perri returns at quarterback after leading an improved unit to success in the second half of last season. Perri leads an offense that features a wealth of returning skill position players, including Lehigh's top two rushers and seven of its top eight receivers. Villanova went 10-3 last season and is coming off an appearance in the FCS quarterfinals.
Lehigh's offensive improvement in the second half of last season coincided with
Dante Perri taking over as the Mountain Hawks' starting quarterback. Perri appeared in nine games as a sophomore with six starts. In his final five games, Perri completed 64 percent of his passes, averaging 228 yards per game and totaling five touchdowns and just two interceptions. He played a major role in Lehigh's three-game winning streak to end the season. At Fordham, Perri completed 27-of-37 passes for 317 yards and two touchdowns, for Lehigh's first 300-yard passing game since 2018. The Philadelphia native was voted one of Lehigh's four captains prior to his junior campaign.
A defensive unit that has grown together during the
Tom Gilmore era is expected to be an area of strength for the Mountain Hawks in 2022. Eighteen of the 22 defensive players listed on Lehigh's depth chart have significant game experience. Lehigh ranked third in the Patriot League in both scoring and total defense in 2021 but the numbers improved significantly over the last five games. The Mountain Hawks allowed 60 fewer yards per game in its final five games compared to its first six. Lehigh's projected starting defense features 10 juniors and seniors plus sophomore
Logan Jones, who appeared in all 11 games as a first-year, with eight starts. All three of Lehigh's returning All-Patriot League honorees from 2021 reside on the defensive side of the ball: lineman
Mikhari Sibblis and defensive backs
TyGee Leach and
LaTreil Wimberly.
A strong special teams unit helped keep the Mountain Hawks in every game during the 2021 Patriot League season. Lehigh blocked an FCS-best five punts in 2021 and also ranked fifth in the FCS in kickoff return defense, allowing just 14.92 yards per return. Wide receiver
Tommy Lewis blocked a team-best two punts, while running back
Jack DiPietroblocked a punt against Lafayette which was returned for the eventual game-winning touchdown. Kicker
Dylan Van Dusen also returns after converting all 13 extra point attempts and going 10-for-12 on field goal attempts in 2021.
Lehigh's 2022 roster includes 18 seniors, including one fifth-year and one sixth-year. Fourteen of the 18 appear on Lehigh's depth chart (page 10). Tight end
Alex Snyder is back for a fifth-year in the brown and white, while linebacker
Nate Norris is back for his sixth year due to medical hardship and the COVID-19 pandemic. Norris played his first full season in 2021 and tied with fellow senior
TyGee Leach for the team lead with 69 tackles.